-^•^.^ 



x^^' 



> ^' 



saF 




',,■<.!" 







\K 


'i 


m. 


Pe 


-1^ 


//^i 


Wi 




'ill 




g 


swillJ 






Copyright^ 1890, b\' 
WORTHINGTON CO. 



E n8 



WORTHINGTONVS HISTORY 

OF 

THE UNITED STATES. 



CHAPTER I. 

EARLY AMERICAN PEOPLE. 

Some two thousand or more years ago, 
there lived in North America a very cu- 
rious people known to us as the Mound 
Builders. They left no history by which 
we might learn of their customs and man- 
ners. Only the numerous half -obliterated 
mounds scattered over the central j)ortion 
of our country tell us that they once lived 
and occupied these sites. 

Whence they came or whither they 
went Ave have no means of learning, 
though different historians have certain 
ideas regai-ding these points. Some of 
our most learned men suppose they were 
descendants of people from Japan and 



HISTORY OF THE 



other islands of the Pacific who had been 
driven across the ocean by furious storms, 
and stranded upon our western coast ; 
while others tSink they came from North- 
ern Asia by way of Behring Strait. Oth- 
ers still there are who think they may 
have been descendants of the Shepherd 
Kings, who are recorded as Journeying 
from India to Egyj^t about the time that 
the Tower of Babel was being built. 
But whether any or all these suppositions 
are true or not, we know they once 
lived in our beautiful Ohio and Missis- 
sippi valleys, and built the strangely shaped 
mounds that at first were passed unnoticed 
by the early settlers of those j)arts. 

Even now we are not quite certain for 
what many of these mounds were intend- 
ed. That some were thrown up expressly 
for burial purposes has been proved by 
opening them. 

Great piles of human bones were found 
in several, so old and decayed that they 
immediately turned to dust when exposed 
to the air. Only a few kept their form, 
and these have been preserved in glass 



UNITED STATES. 



cases for us to study when we like. That 
some of these mounds are of much more 
recent date, is proved by the presence of 




NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN. 



articles belonging to European manufac- 
ture amono; the original bones. 

No doubt the j)eople known to us as 
Mound Builders lived for many centuries 
in our land, they in turn being preceded 
by a people less advanced than them 



8 HISTORY OF THE 

selves. Certainly the discoveries of idols, 
toter* posts, strange masks, and other 
curiosities upon our northwestern coast 
point to an earlier civilization. 

A few years ago the various ruins in 
Yucatan, Mexico, Arizona, and New Mex- 
ico, as well as others in the southwest- 
em portion of the United States, were be- 
lieved to be those of vast cities of barba- 
ric splendor which flourished before Rome 
was founded or the Pyramids lifted their 
lofty heads by the banks of the Nile. But 
the investigations of a number of learned 
men during the last few years have de- 
molished all these romantic structures of 
the imao^ination — dreams of masrnificent 
grandeur and the despotic sway of abso- 
lute raonarchs. 

These wise men tell us they were all 
the work of our native Indians ; that 
the buried lodges found in some mounds, 
the palaces of Yucatan, and cave struc- 
tures of Arizona are only the remains of 
Pueblo towns, in whose great communal 
structures the entire people of the tribe 
dwelt, rich and poor, high and low, bc" 



UNITED STATES. 9 

ing sheltered by the same vast walls. 
These investigations further go to ^:»rrve 
that our land has been the home^''of 
freedom from the very beginning. No ab- 
solute monarch has ever lived upon her 
soil. The rulers of the Aztecs in Mex- 
ico succeeded each other, the power de- 
scending from father to son, but they 
were subject in a certain degree to the 
will of the peojile ; while the rulers of the 
various Indian races of the more northern 
j)arts of America were chosen by the peo- 
ple or by direct descent, if worthy the 
title of chief. 

This subject of the origin and customs 
of the early races of America is an ex- 
tremely fascinating one, and we would be 
glad to know much more about it than we 
can at present learn. Perhaps sometime 
the key that will unlock its mysteries 
will be found, and many of its hidden 
characteristics revealed, for new discov- 
eries bearing upon the subject are con- 
stantly being made ; but at present it is 
at best only a matter of conjecture and 
guess-^v^ork. 



10 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER II. 

THE VIKINGS VISIT AMERICA. 

Far north of England, in the midst of 
a tumultuous sea, lies a small island, so 
cold and desolate that it has borne with 
justice the name of Iceland for many 
centuries. It received this appellation from 
the Vikings, a sturdy race who colonized 
the island and made it their home ; and it 
is with feelings of pleasure that we re- 
member the descendants of these brave 
sailors were the first white men who trod 
upon our American soil. 

They were in no manner kings or royal 
personages, as their name might lead one 
to suppose, but simply dwellers on a vih, 
or bay, in Scandinavia. But they were 
very brave, and made their power felt in 
almost eveiy part of Europe. Men of their 
race conquered England, and from them 
we derive our Saxon blood ; others con- 
quered France, and to them our Norman 
ancestry is traced. So we see these Vik- 



UNITED STATES. 11 

ings were much more nearly related to the 
ancestors of the English-speaking colo- 
nists of America than Columbus, who was 
for many years supposed to be the first 
European visitor to this continent. The 
Norsemen, or Vikings, were naturally in- 
clined to be quarrelsome among themselves, 
and it required a clear head and strong arm 
to rule them. It v/as, in fact, a quarrel be- 
tween two friends, unimportant in itself, 
that led to the discovery of America. 

These people had a strange custom in 
locating their places of residence. Each 
man owned a j)air of tall wooden posts, 
ornamented at the top with carved heads, 
^vhich they called setstolcka, or seat-posts, 
and when the Northmen were about to 
change their dwelling-places, they threw 
these posts into the sea as they appi'oached 
the coast ; and wherever they washed 
ashore, there they made their liome. 

Somewhere about the year 1000 there 
dwelt on the western shore of Iceland 
a wandering Norseman, known as Erik 
the Red, who owned a fine pair of these 
posts. In a generous moment he lent 



12 HISTORY OF THE 

them to a frieud, and later could not get 
them back. A quarrel naturally ensued, 
and at last Erik was declared an outlaw. 

He did the thing most natural to. men 
of his day — went to sea — and in time dis- 
covered Greenland, which he frankly ad- 
mitted he intentionally called by this de- 
ceptive cognomen, " for,'' he said, " people 
will be attracted thither if the land has a 
good name." But the climate of Green- 
land was, without doubt, much milder in 
those days than at j)resent, and the few 
people accompanying him found it a pleas- 
ant enough place to live in. They sent a 
vessel back to Iceland for other friends, 
and several ship-loads came to the new 
land. The colony prospered and Green- 
land became permanently settled. Ruins 
of the old Norse churches and dwelling- 
houses are still to be seen. 

Among the party who accompanied Erik 
was a man called Herjulf Bardson. He 
had a son known as Biorni, or Bjorni Her- 
julfson, or Heriulf's son, of whom he was 
very fond. That the son shared this at- 
tachment may be inferred from his follow- 



UNITED STATES. 



13 



inc: the elder man across tliat iiukno\vn sea 
iu a vessel of liis own. He was a pirate, 
like many of liis race, and was away from 




A NORSE SEA-KING. 



home when his father left, but the wnnter 
months were always spent ^vith his par- 
ents. So in the fall he turned his vessel 
toward the west. After a long voyage, he 



14 HISTORY OF THE 

came tlirougli dense fogs to a land covered 
with trees ; but he had been told that 
Greenland was mountainous and ice-bound, 
so he thought this could not be the land he 
was seeking and sailed away toward the 
north. In two days he saw another land, 
and here his men wished to stop for wood 
and water, but Bjorni would not listen to 
them. He kept on his course for a few 
days longer, and at last came to long- 
souglit-for Greenland. Here Bjorni found 
his father and felt, no doubt, doubly re- 
paid for all his troubles. 

But the sailors who came with him "were 
not so well satisfied. The roving spirit 
"which had led them all over Europe did 
not leave them now. They wished to 
learn more of the lands they liad passed. 
Finally a daring man named Leif, son of 
Erik the Red, bought Bjorni's vessel, and 
with twenty-five companions sailed south- 
ward to make further discoveries on this 
coast. 

First they came to the land last seen 
on Bjorni's voyage, a rocky, bleak place 
which they called Helluland, or " Flat-stone 



UNITED STATES. 15 

Land." The next they called Marckland. 
or " Woodland." After that they went still 
south for two days and touched at an island, 
then sailing: throu^rh a bav which stretched 
between tliis island and the mainland, they 
finally passed up a river and landed. 

All hands at once set to work to build 
rude huts for shelter, as the nights were 
ah'eady quite cold. In fact it was near 
the middle of autumn, and they had 
decided upon landing, to spend the win- 
ter in the place. The wild grapes whicli 
grew luxuriantly all about them were ripe, 
so the Norsemen gave the name of Yin- 
land to the region. The \vaters \\ere full 
of fish, the climate mild and pleasant, and 
Leif and his companions passed a very 
pleasant mnter in this, to them, south- 
ern home. Early in the spring they load- 
ed their ship with wood and returned to 
Greenland, where the timber was mucli 
needed. But Leif found \\\)on landing 
that his father had died during his ab- 
sence, and the command of the Green- 
land colony now fell to liim. Though 
he could make no more vovajjces, lie was 



16 HISTORY OF THE 

ever afterward knowa as "Leif tlie 
Lucky," from liis successes on this one. 

But Leif had a brother Thorvald, who 
took the ship and with thirty men went 
to Vinlaud, where he found the huts his 
friends had left. All through that and 
the following winter they lived in " Leif 's 
Booths," spending their time in hunting, 
fishing, and exploring the neighboring 
coasts. They had been in this land nearly 
two years before they saw any of the in- 
habitants. It Avas during their second 
summer, when they were engaged in re- 
pairing their ship, that they spied, not far 
distant, what at first looked like three 
small hillocks, or slight elevations on the 
sandy shore, but upon nearer view 
jjroved to be three overturned boats made 
of skin, each concealing three men beneath 
it. The Noraemen seized all but one man^ 
who succeeded in running away, and, in 
their usual savage way, killed them. 

Almost immediately, from a small bay 
hundreds of these skin-boats -were seen 
coming toward them, filled wdth angiy 
natives, whom they called " Skraelings," 



S 



UNITED STATES. 17 

or dwarfs. When within telling distance, 
these strange people sent a shower of ar- 
rows at the Norsemen. 

The commander directed his men to 
protect themselves as well as they could 
with their battle-shields, but to fight 
against them as little as possible. One 
of the arrows killed the brave Thorvald, 
and he was buried upon the cape where 
he fell and a wooden cross erected to 
mark his grave. To the cape they gave 
the name of Krossaness, or "Cross Cape." 
Then the Norsemen went back to Green- 
land, taking with them a ship-load of grape- 
vines and grapes. They had been absent 
nearly three years. 

By this time Vinland was well known, 
and voyages Avere frequently made to it 
for the timber which was so scarce in 
Greenland. The children of Erik the 
Red were always ready to go to this beau- 
tiful land, and tradition says that one of 
his daughters, inheriting her father's bold 
and roving disposition, set out on one of 
these voyages. She was a cniel, aspiring 
woman, Frevdis ])v name, who durinc: the 



18 



HISTORY OF THE 



passage killed her husband's brothers and 
seized the ship. We are glad to further 




INDIAN WARRIOR. 



read that she was justly punished by 
Leif on her return. This woman was as 
brave as she was unprincipled, however, 
and at one time saved the colony, it is said. 



UNITED STATES. 19 

The Norsemen had begun to trade with 
the Skraelings, giving them milk, butter, 
and the like in return for furs, skins, and 
game. This traffic was amicably carried 
on for some time ; then a Norseman killed 
a native. When the Skraelings next ap- 
peared they were aiTned with bows, ar- 
rows, and slings. Tlie Norsemen were not 
disconcerted by this display of weapons, 
but when the enemy raised upon a tall 
pole, a great blue ball and began whirling 
it in mid-air, such a fearful noise issued 
from it as to completely unnerve the 
white men, and they were upon the point 
of running away, when Freydis stopped 
them by her scornful words. 

"Why do ye run," she cried, " stout men 
as ye are, before these wretched creatures, 
whom I thought ye would knock down 
like cattle ? If I had weapons, methinks 
I could fight better than any of you." 
Then she caught up a sword which a 
dying companion had dropped, and 
fought with the men, who, inspired by 
her words and daring, soon drove the 
enemy aAvay. 



20 HISTORY OF THE 

Another woman, quite unlike Freydis, 
also figures in these Norse leg-ends. This 
was Gudrid, a beautiful and lovable young 
creature and the 'wife of Thorstein, Enk's 
youngest son. 

Thorstein died while preparing for a 
voyage to Vinland. But some time later 
a rich, man fromXorway named Karlsefne, 
who h.ad dwelt some time with Leif, loved 
and mari'ied the beautiful Gudiid, and 
took her to Vinland to live. Here was 
born during the cold winter months their 
son, whom they called Snorri. Little 
Snorri, probably the first white child 
born in America, was taken Avhile still a 
babe to Iceland, where he lived and grew 
to manhood — and from him are believed 
to have descended several famous Scan- 
dina\aans, including Thorwaldsen, the 
great Danish sculptor. 

So it was that, nearly five hundred years 
before the other European powers dreamed 
of a land across the Atlantic, these brave 
Vikings were quite at home on much of 
our northern coast. Erik the Red, Leif 
the Lucky, Bjorni Herjulfson, Thorvald, 



UNITED STATES. 21 

and Karlsefne not only lived in Greenland, 
but all, or some of them, had spent months 
upon Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Cape 
Cod, and possibly upon Rhode Island soil, 
where fair Mount Hope rises in gently 
rounded curves from the sparkling waters 
of the beautiful Narrasransett Bav. 

After they departed, to return no more, 
this land was left undisturbed by any 
white man for nearly five centuries. Gen- 
eration after generation of Indians lived 
and died within its limits, never dreaming 
of the time when an alien race would 
seize it for themselves, leaving for ihe 
rightful heirs only one small section of 
all this vast domain. 



22 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER III. 

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

On the western coast of Italy, lying 
close to the waters of the Mediterranean, 
is the little city, of Genoa, made famous 
for all time because there was born with- 
in her limits, about the year 1450, the 
most renowned discoverer the world has 
ev^er known. The city is often spoken of 
as " The Superb," and justly deserves its 
title, for its fine palaces and churches, 
with their many-jjinnacled spires j)oint- 
ing heaven ^vard, and vine-clad, terraced 
gardens stretching up the mountain side, 
make it a very pleasing object to the eye 
of one approaching from the sea. 

But the child Columbus did not open 
his baby eyes upon palace walls. His was 
a much more humble home. A little jbouse, 
dark and bare within, down amc^ng the 
narrow, crooked streets, in the part of the 
city where the woi'kers in wool had their 
abodes, was honored by his birth. The 



UNITED STATES. 23 

house still stands ; and the city authorities, 
seeing that educated men and visitors from 
abroad seemed to prize the place, have 
bought it and placed a Latin inscription 
on its front which reads : " No house is 
more honored ! Here, under his father's 
roof, Christopher Columbus spent his 
boyhood and youth." Some historians say 
his father was a weaver, while others 
affirm that he simply combed wool, thus 
preparing it for the spinners ; but Avhat- 
ever was his business, young Columbus 
spent his early years in assisting him. At 
that time Genoa was one of the chief 
Mediterranean ports, and vessels from all 
parts of the world lay at her wharves. 
Some of his relatives were sailors, and the 
boy, very naturally, spent much of his 
spare time down by the sea, listening to 
the tales of strange countries and wonder- 
ful adventures which none but seafaring 
men can so graphically describe. 

His whole mind, from very infancy, was 
filled with dreams of far-distant lands 
rich in gold and precious gems, and these 
visions may have incited him to the hard 



24 HISTORY OF THE 



study which, in his few years at school, 
gave him the knowledge of Latin, drawing, 
and writing that served him so well in 
after-life. While still a boy, he had a 
very good idea of the geography of the 
world as it was then known, and the little 
maps and charts which he drew at that 
time were much sought after by the 
sailors. 

He was only fourteen years old when 
he made his first voyage in a vessel under 
the command of his grand-uncle Colombo, 
and for twenty years he followed the sea, 
touching at tlie islands along the western 
coast of Africa, and sailing far up to the 
north of England on some of his voyages. 

No doubt he went to Iceland at this 
time, and he may have heard of the Vikings 
and their visits to Greenland and Vinland. 
But these traditions evidently had very 
little influence upon his mind, for if they 
had impressed him at all deeply, he would 
certainly have used them in his arguments 
later in life when trying to convince people 
that his projects concerning a land to the 
west were feasible and worthy of notice. 



UNITED STATES. 25 

He was much more impressed by a little 
book tLat somehow came into his posses- 
sion, aud which he never tired of poring 
over. This was the account of the voyages 
of a man called Marco Polo, a Venetian, 
who left his native city about two hundred 
years before and travelled with two of his 
kindred for many years through the far 
East. When they at last returned, dressed 
in strangely shaped, coarse garments, their 
friends failed to recognize them, and the 
poor travellers found, to their surj)rise and 
chagrin, that they had also forgotten nmch 
of their native language. It was not to 
be wondered at that the people considered 
them impostors and put little faith in 
their tales. 

Finally, the gentlemen hit upon a unique 
plan of convincing their friends of their 
identity aud of being heard as well. They 
gave a great banquet, after the style of 
those days, and made it exceed everything 
the peoj^le of Venice had ever witnessed 
in richness and grandeur. At its com- 
mencement the three Polos were decked 
out in robes befitting royalty, but as the 



26 HISTORY OF THE 

feast went o\i they cliauged their dress 
many times, and on every occasion tore up 
the discarded garments and distributed 
the pieces of rich stuff among the guests 
At last they appeared in the same rough 
costumes they wore when they entered 
the city, when, upon ripping open certain 
seams, countless precious stones of price- 
less value rolled out and fell upon the 
floor. No doubt anything they told after 
this exhibition of their wealth was duti- 
fully believed by even the most incred- 
ulous Venetian. 

It was some time after this that Marco 
Polo wrote the account of his travels 
which so fascinated Columbus. 

Another circumstance had considerable 
influence upon the mind of the bold navi- 
gator. Just after the middle of the fif- 
teenth century there lived a bright prince, 
who was a learned man and who thought 
he could greatly benefit his kingdom by 
finding a way to India by sea. This was 
" Henry the Navigator," son of the King 
of Portui»:al. 

Merchants who traded iu India and 



UNITED STATES. 27 

other parts of Asia had long and perilous 
journeys to make in going to and coming 




from tliat distant country, for both Avere 
overland, part of the way being travelled 
on horses and tlie remainder on camels. 



HISTORY OF THE 



The expense was also very great. But if 
the clangers had been even greater and the 
cost of the journey doubled, men would 
have gladly taken the risks for the sake of 
obtaining the rare and beautiful things 
brought from the East. Still, every one 
would have been glad to go by some 
quicker and less fatiguing route, and the 
secret hope of each navigator was to iind 
some shorter way by sea. 

Very little was known before Columbus' 
day concerning the shape of the earth, 
learned cosmographers differing consider- 
ably in their ideas on the subject. Nearly 
all, however, agreed that it was flat and 
round, like the top of a centre-table. 
They thought that the Atlantic was 
peopled by horrible monsters a few daj^s' 
distance from the shore, and that in it was 
an island of gold, with walls of crystal, 
which a giant called Mildum professed 
to have seen. Unfortunately, the giant 
never succeeded in again flnding this 
wonderful isle, and nobody else dared 
search very far for it. Somewhere out in 
this unknown sea was a tract of boiling 



UNITED STATES. 29 

water, through which a ship could never 
sail with living crew, and few men were 
found bold enough to be willing to en- 
counter all these terrors. 

But Henry the Navigator thought deep- 
ly upon the subject, and decided that 
he might be able to reach India by water 
and still avoid the dangers. He had only 
to keep close to the coast of Africa and 
sail due south. Somewhere, he felt con- 
vinced, there was a strait through which 
he could gain access to the Indian Ocean. 

Columbus heard of all this while yet a 
boy ; and when he decided that he would 
try for himself and see if by sailing due 
west he could not make the shortest way 
yet to India, after appealing in vain to 
his own country, he naturally turned to 
Portugal for the help he would need in 
the enterprise. Prince Henry had then 
been dead for many years, and the king 
took no interest in the project when Colum- 
bus explained it to him. So from the 
court of Portugal he went to that of Spain. 
Here he tried for seven long years to get 
Ferdinand and Isabella to listen to his plans. 



80 HISTORY OF THE 

At last, in 1491, weary and discouraged, 
he left the royal palace. He had his an- 
swer after all these years of patient wait- 
ing — a refusal to give him help. His money 
was gone, and hope nearly crushed, but he 
had his little boy still to comfort him. So 
taking the child by the hand he started for 
home. In the course of his journey, he 
stopped one noon at the convent of La 
Rabid a to beg a cup of water for the boy. 
Here he met the good prior of the convent, 
who at once became interested in his plans. 
This prior had some influence with Isabella, 
havino- once been her confessor, and beo:o:ed 
the travellers to stay with him until he 
could get a word to the queen. The result 
was that Isabella sent a mule and some 
new clothes to the navigator and ordered 
him to her j)resence once more. 

Even now the way was not quite 
smooth. Columbus demanded such a high 
reward for his services if he succeeded that 
the queen let him go again. Now he de- 
cided to tiy tlie King of France, and was 
on the eve of doing so, when a number of 
his friends petitioned to Isabella to let 



UNITED STATES. 31 

liiiii liave his way and secure for Spain 
the lienor of liis discoveries. 

It was hard work to find sailors williu" 
to make this voyage across an unknown 
sea, and most of the men had to be 
forced into the service ; but after a long 
delay the shij^s were ready, and on August 
3, 1492, the three ships, the Santa Maria, 
the- Nina, and the Plnta, left Palos to 
sail out into ''The Sea of Darkness," as 
this wilderness of water \vas then called. 
Before the crew embarked they went to 
church, where solemn mass was said, and, 
with Columbus, took the sacrament and 
bade a last farewell to their friends. AVith 
no enthusiasm and little hope these Portu- 
guese sailors left their native land and 
sailed away toward the region of darkness 
and death. In about a month they reached 
the Canary Islands, and spent Sunday, 
September 6, 1492, in this the farthest- 
known western land. 

After that the dreaded voyage really 
began. That night, when darkness fell and 
the last trace of the receding land was 
lost to view, the hearts of the poor sailors 



32 



HISTORY OF' THE 



failed them, and they wept with fear and 
begged their commander to tui'n back. In 
the morning they were somewhat reassui'ed, 




SANTA MARIA, VESSEL OF COLUMBUS. 

for the weather continued fine and no in- 
dications of any of the dreaded monsters 
they feared had as yet shown themselves. 
The wind was fair and the vessel skimmed 
along at a lively rate, but Columbus wisely 
kept two logs, one recording the exact dis- 
tance travelled and the other makins; it 
much less ; the latter he showed to the 



UNITED STATES. 33 

meu. He also tried to cheer them witli 
the stories of all the wonderful riches of 
India aud Asia he had ever read or heard. 

But with all his efforts they became 
more and more dispiiited as the days went 
on, and more prone to be terrified by very 
simple things. 

At one time they conceived a plot to 
throw their commander overboard, but 
fortunately this was not carried out. 
They never ceased their grumbling, how- 
ever, and even def)lored the easterly winds 
which favored them all the way. 

"How can we get back," they would 
ask one another, " if the wind is always 
east ? " 

The one thing which caused them the 
greatest consternation was the deviation 
of the needle of the compass from the 
north star as they sailed westward. Co- 
lumbus was no doubt quite as much mys- 
tified by this as were his men, but he 
succeeded in hiding the fact from them, 
and treated the matter with as little ap- 
parent concern as would a sailor of the 
present day. 



34 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTEE IV. 

COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA, 

One evening as the crew on the PinUi^ 
which was at the time slightly in advance 
of the other ships, were scanning the west- 
ern horizon, Martin Alonzo Pinzon, the 
commander, spied a dark, low mass some 
twenty-five leagues away, behind and 
above which the yellow glow of the set- 
ting sun still lingered. Believing it to 
be the long-looked-for India, Piuzon joy- 
fully raised the cry of " Land! '' 

As the welcome sound came across the 
water, Columbus fell on his knees to give 
thanks to God, while his sailors clambered 
up the rigging to get a better view. It 
was only a cloud, and that night the men 
were more discouraged than ever. 

Just a week before the actual land did 
appear, they were disheartened by another 
false alarm. 

Columbus had so often raised their 
hopes by pointing to floating sea-weed and 



UNITED STATES. 35 

other sliglit indications as signs of land, 
that tlie men scarcely dared hope when 
they saw land-birds flying near them. 
But when, on the 11th of October, one of 
the sailors on the Nina found a branch of 
thorn-bush with red berries on it, and a 
carved stick was picked up by some one 
on the Pinta, they were forced to be- 
lieve they were near their journey's end. 

That night tlie sailors sang the " Salve 
Regina," or vesper hymn to the Virgin, as 
they had never sung it before ; and the 
Joyful music, wafted out over the waves of 
the Atlantic toward the new world be- 
yond, was the first Christian hymn ever 
sung on this side of the globe. After this 
Columbus addressed them all, promising 
them that they would surely see land in 
the morning. Then he ordered a double 
watch set for the night, though he knew 
quite well that no one would sleep on 
either ship. 

When the expedition left Castile the 
king and queen offered to him who should 
first make the discovery of land, not only 
ten thousand maravedis, but a new velvet 



36 mSTORY OF THE 

jerkin. So all tlie men were anxious for 
this prize. Columbus had the sharpest 
eyes and the highest outlook. From his 
place on the forward platform, or forecastle, 
about ten o'clock he saw a faint light 
glimmering at one moment and entirely 
disappearing the next, as if some one was 
passing between it and himself. He 
scarcely dared trust his own eyes, so call- 
ing Roderigo Sanchez and Pedi'o Gutier- 
rez to him, he inquired of them if it was 
there. The latter saw it at once, but 
Sanchez could not make it out for some 
time. At last, however, all three were 
convinced that it was a real light, raised 
and lowered like a torch carried by some 
one on the shore. 

At two o'clock on the following morn- 
ing — Friday, October 12, 1492 — land was 
discovered from the Pinta by a sailor, 
Rodrigo de Triana, and the early morning 
light showed to all the vessels a beautiful 
little island close at hand. 

I must pause here for a moment to say 
that poor Triana never got the promised 
reward, not even the "velvet jerkin," in 



UNITED STATES. 



37 




38 HISTORY OF THE 

return for sighting a new world. And 
tradition furtlier tells us that his heart was 
so embittered by this failure of his king 
and queen to keep their promises that he 
straightway went to Africa and became a 
Mohammedan. 

As soon as it was light enough to land, 
Columbus, arrayed in scarlet, under which 
was his com|)lete sint of armor, caught 
tlie Spanish flag and jumped on shore. 
The Pinzon brothers, commanders and 
owners of the other ships, followed him, 
bearing each a banner, on which was a 
green cross and the letters F. and Y., for 
"Ferdinand" and "Ysabel." They all 
threw themselves upon the ground and 
kissed the laud ; then with due form 
Columbus unfurled the gorgeous Spanish 
standard, with its ominous colorings of 
gold and blood, and planted it on the 
shore, and di'awing his sword, took pos- 
session of the island in the name of the 
crown of Castile. It was the little island 
called by the natives Guanahani, though 
Columbus renamed it San Salvador. No 
one of the present day seems to be quite 



UNITED STATES. 39 

certaiu which of the West India Islands it 
was. 

Upon a signal from their admiral all 
the men fell upon their knees and chanted 
with thankful hearts the " Te Deum," 
while the naked Indians gazed wonder- 
iugly upon the scene. The sailors, who 
had previous to this taken no trouble to 
hide their distrust for Columbus and his 
undertaking, ^vere now quite as ready to 
give him homage, many of them actually 
grovelling upon their knees before him, 
kissing his limbs and his hands. They 
were all charmed with this beautiful 
island, with its soft, sweet air and abun- 
dant fruit and flowers, and would have 
gladly remained here for a long time ; but 
Columbus, thinking himself off the coast 
of Asia, was in haste to find the golden 
temples and great cities described in his 
favorite book. So he soon left his first 
landing-place and sailed to other islands 
in the vicinity, in hopes of reaching the 
India of his dreams. 

Some of the natives wore ornaments of 
gold, which they told Columbus came 



40 HISTORY OF THE 

from an island to tlie soiitli, and lie at 
once connected it in his mind with Ci- 
pango, Japan. Taking a number of In- 
dians he started foi' it, and discovered 
Cuba, which he thought might be the 
mainland of India. 

Once more he sailed onward, and this 
time was unfortunate enough to wreck his 
vessel, the Santa Mai'ia^ on an island that 
he thought might be Ophir, the land of 
Hebrew fame, from which the gold and 
precious stones for Solomon's Temple had 
been brouii^ht. Finding; the climate all 
that could be desired, he concluded to 
build a fort of the timbers of his wrecked 
vessel and leave a part of his men here, 
while he sailed back to Spain with the 
news of his discoveries. This was the 
island of Hayti, but he called it Hispan- 
iola, or Little Spain. 

The voyage back was much more tem- 
pestuous than the coming had been. Ter- 
rific storms followed the little vessel 
nearly all the way, and more than once 
her conuuander feared she would go to 
the bottom, taking with her all knowledge 



UNITED STATES. 41 

of tlie wonderful discovery he liad just 
made. But at last, after much anxiety, 
she came proudly into port. This was in 
March, nearly eight mouths from the time 
the ex2:>edition had set out. Where can 
another half-year be found in which so 
much has been accomplished by the perse- 
verance and energy of a single man ? 

Soon after landino; at the AYest Indies 
Martin Pinzon took his vessel, the Pinta, 
and started south on discoveries of his 
own. In many accounts of this expedi- 
tion of Columbus the Pinzons receive 
scarcely their just amount of credit, and 
occasionally Martin Pinzon is censured 
for leaving Columbus as he did. But 
when it is remembered that the Pinzons 
were both wealthy men, who bought their 
vessels and fitted them out at their own 
expense, it seems quite natural that they 
should do with them what they chose. 
They accompanied Columbus across the 
sea, and accorded to him all tlie discoveries 
made, though it was from the deck of the 
Pinta that land was first sighted. There 
the agreement ended. As Martin Pinzon 



42 mSTORY OF THE 

sailed away toward the soiitli in liis fleet, 
stauncli vessel lie little thought that to his 
name would be given the honor of being 
the first white man to set foot on South 
American soil. He discovered the mouth 
of the Amazon and landed on the main- 
land of America before Columbus and his 
men had visited any but islands. 

It was, no doubt, the happiest moment 
in all Columbus' life when he bore the 
news of his triumph to the Spanish king 
and queen. He made his entry into 
Barcelona in a great triumphant proces- 
sion, headed by the Indians he had 
brought back in his ship. These were 
magnificently attired in all the glory of 
their war-paint and well covered with oil 
to make their bodies shine in the bright 
sunlio^ht. Feathers and stuffed birds of 
gorgeous plumage ornamented their heads 
and golden trinkets hung from their necks 
and wrists. 

The Spaniards are very fond of romantic 
tales, and the one Columbus had to tell, 
proved by these living illustrations before 
them, far exceeded anything that even 



UNITED STATES. 43 

tlieir inventive fancies could picture. In- 
deed, Ferdinand and Isabella were so de- 
lighted witli Lis successes that they al- 
lowed him to sit in their presence while 
he recounted his adventures. 

Though he had no difficulty in fitting 
out his next expedition, the remainder of 
his life was one of misfortunes. That fall, 
Septend)er, 1493, saw a fleet of seventeen 
shijis and fifteen hundred men sail oat of 
the harbor of Cadiz, under the command 
of Colund>us. When they reached Ilis- 
paniola the admiral found that the men 
whom he left here had at first quar- 
relled among themselves and then with the 
Indians, ^vho, in return for tlieir harsh 
treatment, fell upon them and killed every 
member of the colony. The tales of gold 
and spices, cotton and slaves, with ^vhich 
Columbus had thickly sprinkled his pic- 
tures of this new Avorld led many to follow 
him for these riches, and when they were 
not able to find the gold they sought they 
grew angry and quarrelsome, declaring 
that Columbus had deceived tliem. The 
brave navigator did not make a wise ruler, 



44 HISTORY OF THE 

and matters went from bad to worse till 
word reached tlie Mug, and an officer sent 
from Spain to inquire into tlie aifair 
carried Columbus liome in chains. 

In 1502 he again started for America 
on his fourth and last voyage, hoping to 
find his way thi-ough South America to 
India. But he only reache<l the island of 
Jamaica. He was now nearly used up, 
the teriible disappointments and trials 
he had undergone making him old before 
his time, and for months he lay upon 
his bed, ill and helpless. He would 
doubtless have starved had not some 
friendly Indians supplied him with food 
during all this long period. At last, how- 
ever, he recovei^ed sufficiently to return to 
Spain. Queen Isabella, the best friend he 
had ever known, died very soon after his 
return. No one remembered the services 
he had given to his adopted country, and 
no friend came forward to care for the sacl 
and broken-down old man. He says of 
himself at this time : " I have no place to 
go to except an inn, and often nothing to 
pay for my food." 



UNITED STATES. 45 

So it was that the man who had given 
to S2)ain a new \N'orld was left to die un- 
cared for and alone. On the 20th of May, 
1 506, lie folded liis hands upon his breast, 
and as the simple sentence, "Lord, into thy 
hands I commend my spirit," left his lips, 
his soul passed upward to the God who 
gave it. 

His fame, like that of many other great 
men, came to him long after his body was 
lesting in the grave. Men then discovered 
that he had given to them a new con- 
tinent ; he only thought it a nearer route 
to Asia. Some time after his death his 
remains were taken to St. Domingo, but 
about one hundred years ago they were 
agahi removed, with great pomp, to the 
Cathedral at Havana, where they still 
rest. 



46 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER V. 

THE CABOTS. 

When the news of Columbus' discovery 
readied Europe, the other kiugdonis, en- 
vious of the good-fortune which luid be- 
fallen Spain, were anxious to send vessels 
across the Atlantic and reaj) some of the 
advantages of this shorter route to India. 

England particularly desired to have a 
hand in the enterprise, and Pleuiy VII., 
who was king at that time, accepted 
with delight the oifers of a noted sailor, 
John Cabot l)y name, who, inspii'ed by 
C'olumbus, agreed to supply and fit out 
his own ship for the enterprise if the king 
would give him his patronage. This was 
a very good thing for Henry, as it cost 
liim nothing and he was to receive one- 
fifth of all the gold, spices, and other 
valuables obtained on the voyage. 

Cabot Avas a Avealthy merchant who Jiad 
made his home for many years at Bristol, 
England. Tlie })lace of his biith is not 



UNITED STATES. 47 

certainly known, tliougli lie is supposed to 
have hailed from the same city as Colum- 
bus. While a young man he lived in 
Venice, and there his second son, Sebastian, 
was born. 

John Cabot had been a great traveller in 
his day. He had guided his ships to all 
the ports of the Mediterranean, had sailed 
along the coasts of Portugal, Spain, and 
France, and knew better than most naviga- 
tors of that date the English waters and the 
far-oif northern sea. Even the deserts of 
the East had received visits from the old 
merchant, for gold-dust, spices, and eastern 
silks and dyes were the wares in which 
he traded. 

A short passage to India meant a great 
addition to his fortune, while his love of 
the sea made the enterprise far from dis- 
tasteful. 

So in May, 1497, he sailed out of the 
harbor of Bristol, England, in a small ves- 
sel manned by eighteen men, his son Se- 
bastian beins: one of the number. Pro- 
ceeding due west, as Columbus had done, 
he reached the island of C/ape Breton June 



48 HISTORY OF THE 

24tli, and landing, took possession of the 
place in the name of his king. He planted 
a large wooden cross, the English flag, and 
the flag of St. Mark (the patron saint of 
Venice), and then entered his vessel and 
sailed further down the coast. 

Both Cabot and his men were much sur- 
prised and troubled to account for the 
great amount of ice they encountered on 
their way. They were in the same latitude 
as England, yet instead of the green trees, 
beautiful flowers, and singing birds they ex- 
pected to see, they found fog and heavy 
mist, cold, high winds, and snow and ice 
covering everything. The secret of Eng- 
land's soft, mild air was not known at that 
time. 

Finding no gold or spices, Cabot did not 
remain long in this land. Upon reaching 
England he was received with great honor 
by the king, and the homage he received 
seemed to have nearly turned his head, for 
we read of him as dressing himself up in 
silks and velvets and making promises of 
vast domains in this Asia he had found to 
all sorts of common people who were in 



UNITED STATES. 49 

his employ. Crowds of men and chil- 
dren followed him as he walked throiio-h 
the street and pointed to him as the " Great 
Admiral." King Henry VII. fitted out 
another and much larger fleet for Cabot, 
and he sailed once more for this land. 
This time he voyaged north to the coast 
of Labrador and down south to North Car- 
olina. Again he failed to find gold or any 
other precious metal. Sebastian Cabot,who 
had accompanied his father on these voy- 
ages, went later upon an expedition by 
himself, hoping to find the passage through 
to India. He explored part of Hudson's 
Bay, but the climate was so forbidding 
that no one cared to visit it. The voy- 
ages of the Cabots assume their chief im- 
portance from the fact that John Cabot 
was the first European, after the Vikings, 
to set foot upon the mainland of North 
America. 
4 



50 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER VI. 

HOW AMERICA EECEIVED HER NAME. 

The name of Amerigo Vespucci lias al- 
ways been intimately connected witli that 
of Columbus. Like tlie latter, lie was an 
Italian, a native of Florence, and set sail 
for tlie New World under tlie Spanish flag. 

In the summer of 1497 Vespucci voyaged 
across the Atlantic, landing on the coast of 
Venezuela. He sailed along the Gulf States 
to Florida and then down the northeastern 
coast of South America for some distance, 
finding tlie natives for the most part peace- 
able and friendly. In one place, however, 
he fell in with a tribe of cannibals and had 
a severe fight with them. Though they 
were finally conquered, he tried in vain to 
make friends with them, and at last, dis- 
couraged in the attempt, set fire to their 
village and sailed away with some two hun- 
dred and fifty of their number, whom he 
sold in Spain as slaves. 

Wlien he reached home he wrote a letter 



UNITED STATES. 



61 



fij 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 n 



ilililliiilillli'>*'r'"*r""""iiii 




AMERIGO VESPUCCI. 



52 HISTORY OF THE 

to a friend in Florence, telling him of the 
land lie liad visited and the strange things 
he had seen. Later this letter was seen by 
a German geographer named Waldsee Miil- 
ler, who was much interested in his discov- 
eries. Vespucci had called the region he 
discovered " The Land of the Holy Cross," 
and, with the geographer, had no idea it was 
the same that Columbus had seen. It was 
at the suggestion of this Waldsee Mliller, 
made the year after the death of Columbus, 
that America received her name. In a 
collection of drawings by Leonardo da 
Vinci is a map, made about the years 1513- 
14, on which the name of "America" ap- 
j^ears. This is believed to be the first in- 
stance in which it was so used. In no 
account do we learn that Vespucci sought 
for the distinction of giving his name to 
this land. Probably he did not know 
when it was first used. In the words of 
Mr. Higginson : "He was evidently one 
of those who have more greatness thrust 
upon them than they have ever claimed 
for themselves." 

There came to this country with Colum- 



UNITED STATES. 53 



bus on his second voyage a wealthy 
Spanish gentleman who was a brave 
soldier and, like most of his j'ace, fond of 
adventure. He was pleased with the 
climate of this western world and de- 
cided to make it his home. Later he 
became governor of Porto liico. But, 
with all the honors conferred upon 
him, he w^as not happ}\ He felt old 
age was creeping on, and he did not like 
to thhik he must soon die. So it was 
\vith intense interest that he listened to 
certain tales of the natives concerning 
a wonderful spring on an island to the 
north, whose waters had the power of 
giving one back his youth. That was 
precisely what Ponce de Leon most 
wished for, so he fitted out a vessel and 
at once started in search of this magic 
spring. 

Having explored the Bahamas for some 
time in vain, he at last turned his course 
\vestward, and on Easter Sunday, March 27, 
1512, siglited what he supposed was an- 
other island. Because of the profusion of 
beautiful liowers whicli covered the land 



64 HISTORY OB' THE 

as far as eye could reach, Pouce de Leon 
called the place Florida. 

Though he could uot find the wonderful 
foLiutain, he realized he had discovered a 
new and surpassingly fair country, and a 
few years later, having received authority 
from his Idng, he brought some people 
here, hoping to colonize it. 

They found the natives savage and 
ready to dispute their laading, so the 
boat turned back toward Cuba. Ponce 
de Leon ^v^as hit \vitli a poisoned arrow, 
and lived but a short time after reaching 
home. Instead of the magic fountahi of 
youth, he had found death ou the beauti- 
ful Florida coast. 

By this time everybody in Europe was 
thinking and talking of the rich provinces 
across the sea. Spain felt that she had 
the best right to the lands ah'eady dis- 
covered, so in 1527 slie sent an armada, 
or armed fleet, to America to protect 
them. 

On one of the vessels sailed a certain 
Spaniard known as Cabeza de Vaca. Upon 
reaching Fh)ri(la this man, with a number 



UNITED STATES. 65 



of followers, left tlie slii^^s and started for 
the interior. The tale of his sufferings 
and hardships is quite incredible, though 
his desci'iptions of the regions travelled 
are so true that the localities can be 
easily recognized. After a time, finding 
the natives extremely warlike and savage, 
they were obliged to return to the coast. 
Though they were unused to such labor, 
they at last succeeded in building three 
very lough boats, in which they sailed 
alono; the northern shore of the Gulf of 
Mexico. Cabeza de Vaca speaks of pass- 
ing one place where a mighty fresh-water 
river ran into the sea. This has in later 
times been thought to be the Mississippi. 
For eight weary years he continued his 
wanderings, journeying through the region 
now known as New Mexico, Colorado, and 
Arizona. He visited the Zuni settlement, 
in New Mexico, and reached the Pacific 
at Sonora with but three surviving com- 
panions. 

Fernando de Soto was also a brave 
Sj^aniard who came to this country hoping 
to get gold from lier hidden treasures. He 



56 . HISTORY OF THE 

accompanied Pizarro to Peru and helped 
to conquer that country; then he went back 
to Spain and married a beautiful lady who 
had been long waiting for him to come. 
For two years he lived in Seville. Then 
the spirit of adventure possessed him again, 
and finding his money was getting low, he 
decided to replenish his fortunes and add 
fame to his already illustrious name by 
making discoveries in Florida and sacking 
the rich cities he was confident were scat- 
tered over North America quite as plenti- 
fully as Pizarro had found them in the 
South. 

As soon as it became known that De 
Soto intended fitting out an expedition for 
the purpose of seeking gold in America, he 
had no trouble in. finding men to accom- 
pany him. Many of the brightest noble- 
men of Spain offered to go, and a truly 
brilliant company of some six hundred 
souls sailed out of the harbor of St, Lucar 
in ten small ships, well j)rovided with 
arms, fetters for the Indians they expected 
to make slaves, and blood-hounds for cap- 
turing the runaways. Each man wore costly 



UNITED STATES, 57 

armor and was magnificently equipped for 
the undertaking. 

They sailed from Havana, wliere De Soto 
left liis young bride, in May, 1539, for 
Florida. Here the romance of the expedi- 
tion ends. Fights Avith the Indians, long 
journeyings through unbroken forests after 
the gold that was always promised by the 
natives as a little further on, but was never 
found, and trials of every nature fell to 
their lot. For two long years De Soto 
bravely pushed his way westward, encour- 
aging his men and punishing or pacifying 
the natives he encountered, till at last he 
found, not the gold he was seeking, but 
the great river that has made his name 
immortal. This was the Mississipj^i, and 
the time 1541. He crossed the river 
and pushed onward toward the northwest, 
where he discovered the Ozark Mountains. 
After this he visited the Hot Springs and 
crossed both the Arkansas and Red rivers. 
All this long journey had lowered the vi- 
tality of the brave De Soto to such an ex- 
tent that when fever seized him he had no 
strength to fight it. Though he heard \vith 
grief that several tribes were uniting to 



58 HISTORY OF THE 

fight his meu, he could do naught but com- 
mend them to the care of the merciful God 
into whose presence he realized he was 
about to enter. 

And so on May 21, 1542, near where 
Natchez now stands, and far away from 
sunny Spain and the beautiful young wife 
he dearly loved, Fernando de Soto died. 
Fearing to let the Indians know that their 
leader was gone, his companions cut down 
an evergreen oak, whose wood is extremely 
heavy, and hollowed out of the trunk a shal- 
low coffin. Into this the body of their 
beloved friend was placed, and at midnight 
buried under the waters of the mighty 
river he had discovered. 

After this his followers attempted to 
reach Mexico overland, but at last were 
forced to return to the Mississippi and 
build rafts, upon which they sailed down 
the river to the gulf. After much hard- 
ship they reached a little Spanish set- 
tlement on the river Panuco, Mexico, in 
September, 1543. Only three hundred 
aud eleven of the brilliant company that 
had left Cuba three years before remained 
to tell the tale of their journeyings. 



UNITED STATES. 59 

CHAPTER VII. 

SOME FREISCII EXPLORERS. 

Iisr the year 1523 King Francis I. of 
France decided to try liis hick at seeking 
for a new way to India. He was very 
jealous of tlie fame Spain and England 
were enjoying because of their discoveries 
in the New World, and wished some of it 
for himself. A certain Florentine, Giovanni 
Verrazano by name, was at this time in 
France, and wished to command an explor- 
ing expedition across the Atlantic. This 
was a fine opportunity for the king, and he 
at once fitted out several vessels for the 
purpose. Soon after leaving France, how- 
ever, a heavy storm came up and all but 
one ship was forced to return. ' In this 
Verrazano continued on his way. He 
stopj)ed for a short time at the Madeiras, 
and then sailing nearly west, reached 
North Carolina in March, 1524. His 
voyage had been a stormy one, but he was 
now quite charme<l with the beautiful land 



i 



60 HISTORY OF THE 

Le liad found. The early spring aspect 
of the forests, the pure white sand of the 
beaches, and the rich grass and beautiful 
early flowers Avere very delightful to his 
artistic eye. Though he saw no natives, 
he knew that the land was inhabited, for 
every night, after tlie sun had gone down, 
great fires were kindled by some unknown 
people at intervals all the way down the 
coast. Later he saw Indians, but making 
them understand they had nothing to fear 
from his men, he was left to do as he 
pleased. Keeping close to the coast, he 
sailed from Florida to Newfoundland, 
passed the mouth of the Chesapeake 
in the night, and on the following day 
saw tho Chesapeake Bay across the low 
intervening land, which lie immediately 
took for the Pacific or Indian Ocean. He 
entered tlie Narrows and sailed up New 
York Bay to the mouth of the Hudson 
Kiver ; then along the coast of Long Island, 
noting Block Island, which he named 
Luisa Island. The first part of May he 
spent in Narragansett Bay, after whicli he 
discovered Nantucket and Martha's ^/^ine* 



UNITED STATES. 61 

yard. Onward lie kept liis way, coasting 
along the rugged shores of Maine, and 
thence to Newfoundland. 

About ten years after Verrazano had 
made his discoveries Francis I. sent out 
another expedition to America. This one, 
under the command of Jacques Cartier, 
left the port of St. Malo April 20, 1534. 
On the 1 0th of May Cartier reached New- 
foundland, but instead of the rich verdure 
and soft air that Verrazano had described, 
he found eveiything covered with ice and 
snow. He was sadly disappointed at find- 
ing everything so different from his dreams, 
but he did not care to turn back, so he sailed 
onward, and finally came to a high prom- 
ontory, now known as Labrador, where he 
landed and set up a great white cross, 
upon which was engraved the lilies of 
France. The natives objecting to this, he 
resorted to deceit, telling them by signs 
that the cross was only a beacon raise<l for 
their benefit as well as his own. 

Sailing onward, he discovered the Strait 
of Belleisle and entered the St. Lawrence. 
Not caring to spend the winter in this 



62 HISTORY OF THE 

cold region, in September lie I'etuined to 
France in triumpli. 

Tlie next spring the king fitted out 
another expedition for Cartier, and many 
of the young and chivalrous nobles of 
France offered to accompany him across 
the sea. 

The bishop of the cathedral imparted 
his blessing to the undertaking and cele- 
brated high mass on Whit Sunday, the 
day before the sailing. Two months later 
Cartier's shi2:>s sailed up the St. Lawrence, 
amid the most varied and beautiful scen- 
ery. On September 1 they came to the 
wonderful Saguenay, which was most 
graphically descri])ed when they reached 
home. The French made friends of the 
Indians on the river and decided to re- 
main there througli the winter, but the 
rigorous climate and liardslnps they Avero 
forced to undergo somewhat dampened 
the ardor of the explorers, and in the 
spring Cartier sailed back to France, tak- 
ing Donnacona, tlie so-called king of 
Canada, witli him. lie returned to the 
St. Lawrence in 154:1, but the Indians 



UNITED STATES. 



63 



were no longer friendly. He had not ke[>t 
bis promise and brought back their king. 
How could he ? Donnacona was dead. 
Amid varied difficulties, Cartier tried to 




JACQUES CARTIER. 



found a colony on this visit, but was 
forced to abandon it and I'eturn to his 
native land in 1542. He made yet 
another, and fourth, voyage the next 
spring, but little resulted from it. 

At this time a religious war began to 



64 HISTORY OF THE 

rage in France. It was, in fact, the era 
of the Reformation there. Charles IX., 
the reigning monarch at that time, was a 
weak man, taking part with the Catholics 
(the stronger party), and persecuting the 
Huguenots, or French Protestants, who 
kej)t the faith of early Christianity. 

They had a powerful friend in Jasper 
Coligny, admiral of France, and through 
him were led to seek refuge in a home 
beyond the Atlantic. Having obtained 
a grant of the king, the little party sailed 
early in the year 1562, under the com- 
mand of John Ribault. They reached 
Florida, and landed for a short time on the 
site of St. Augustine ; then sailing north- 
ward, reached the mouth of the St. John 
River early in May, and named the river 
for that month. Proceeding still further 
up the coast they discovered Port Royal 
entrance, where they decided to make 
their home. Here they landed and built 
a small fort, which they called Carolina, in 
honor of the king. Twenty-six of the 
men were left to defend it, while the 
others sailed back to France for supplies. 



UNITED STATES. 65 

But events follow each other quickly in 
time of war, and they now found that Co- 
ligny was powerless to help them. 

The little o-arrison on the other side of 
the x\tlautic watched in vain for the help 
that did not come, and at last, heartsick 
and discouraged, built foi* themselves a 
small vessel and set sail for France. They 
were shipwrecked and rescued by some 
English seamen, who took them to Eng- 
land. Thus ended the fii"st Carolina 
colony. 

In July, 1564, another party of Fi^ench 
landed on the banks of the St. John and 
built a new Fort Carolina. But there 
were many bad men who came with these, 
who were idle and careless and took no 
trouble to gather provisions for them- 
selves ; so it was not strange that food 
soon became scarce. In December these 
vicious men took one of the vessels, and 
pretending to return to France for stores, 
started to cruise the sea as pirates. Those 
left had a sad time of it, and were on the 
eve of leaving when Bibault came with 
moi'e men and abundant supplies. For a 



66 HISTORY OF THE 

short time all went well witli the poor 
Huguenots. 

But when Philip II., King of Spain, 
heard that a settlement of French Protest- 
ants was iioui'ishing on his territory he 
was very angry, and offered to make 
Pedro Melendez, a brave but cruel man, 
governor of Florida if he would drive out 
the Huguenots and kill off the natives. 
He fitted out a large fleet, with three 
hundred soldiers and over two thousand 
men, women, and children for the new 
Spanish colony. Again a great storm 
arose, and only one-third the party reached 
the land. They touched the coast of 
Florida on September 17, 1565, where 
John Ribault's first party did, and at once 
began laying the foundations of a town, 
which he named St. Augustine. This city, 
still in existence, is the oldest in the 
United States. 

When Ribault heard a party of Spaniards 
had landed on the Florida coast, he took 
all his able-bodied men and started to 
drive them away. A tempest wrecked 
his ships and his men fell into the hands 



UNITED STATES, 67 



of the Spaniards, who put them to death. 
Then Melendez started through the woods 
with a large force and attacked the de- 
fenceless little settlement. Here he mur- 
dered nine hundi'ed men, women, and 
children, and erected over their bleeding 
bodies a great cross to commemorate the 
deed as a glorious Christian achievement. 

An inscription on the cross announced 
that the deed was committed not because 
"they were French, ])ut Huguenots." 



68 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER VIII. 

SETTLEMENTS IIST VIRGINIA. 

In the latter part of the sixteenth century 
there lived in England a very wealthy and 
learned man who took great interest in 
the new land of America. This was Sir 
"Walter Raleigh. As early as 1584 Raleigh 
sent out an expedition for the purpose of 
forming a colony on the x\merican coast. 
The people landed on Wocoken Island, N. 
C, and took possession of the country in 
the name of the queen. At this time 
Elizabeth, sometimes called the Virgin 
Queen because she was never married, was 
ruling in England. So out of respect to 
her, and because the newly discovered 
land was fresh and very charming to Raleigh, 
he called it Virginia. These colonists 
found great difficulty in ol)taining food, and 
at last, discouraged by this and other hard- 
ships, set sail for England. During the next 
four years Raleigh sent as many more fleets 
to America, but fate seemed to be against 



UNITED STATES. 69 

liijtL. The men who came were not fitted 
to found a colony. Many of them were 
lazy and improvident, making no efforts to 
lay up food for the winter, but only think- 
ing of the gold they were in hopes to find. 
Some spent their time in following up the 
livers toward the west,expecting they would 
lead to the Pacific Ocean, which Verrazano 
had seen, and so to India. They did not 
know then, as we do now, that thousands 
of miles stretch between the head waters 
of the Roanoke and the Pacific coast. 
Others were quarrelsome and ill-treated 
the Indians who kept them in food. When 
word reached England that these people 
were in distress, Kaleigh hastened to pro- 
\ide them "with aid and reinforcements, 

A large party now set out under John 
Wliite, who was appointed governor of 
Virginia. They reached Roanoke Island in 
July, 1 587, and found grass and young trees 
springing up in the untenanted houses, 
and the bones of the unburied men scat- 
tered over the ground. They learned later 
that the Indians, becoming disgusted with 
their overbearing ways and tired of feed- 



70 HISTORY OF THE 

ing them, had massacred the whole col- 
ony. 

Governor White at once commenced to 
build log houses and make other provi- 
sions for the settlement, and here in one 
of these rude shelters, around which the 
wild animals of the forest roamed by night 
and Indians sneaked by day, a tiny baby 
girl was born. This was Virginia Dare, 
granddaughter of the governor. A short 
time after her birth John White was forced 
to go to England for provisions, and be- 
cause of the war waging over Europe at 
the time, he was kept away three years. 
When he returned to America every trace 
of the colony had vanished, and no one 
has ever been able to tell what became of 
little Virginia Dare, the first child of Eng- 
lish parents born in America. 

Queen Elizabeth died March 24, 1603, 
and James I. became King of England. 
Like all the other rulers of his day, he at 
once turned his attention to America as 
a land from which he hoped to reap vast 
riches in time. In 1606 he sent a company 
of one liundred and five men to found 



UNITED STATES. 



n 



another colony in Virginia. These men 
were no better equipped for tte purpose 
'than Raleigli's had been, but happily for 




CAPT. JOHN SMITH. 



our country, one among them was perfectly 
fitted to rule. 

John Smith, tliougli bearing the most 
common of names, was a v^ery uncommon 



72 HISTORY OF THE 

man. Tliougli c)nly twenty-seven years old 
when lie reached this country and sailed 
up the James River with the little 
colony v^ho at once commenced laying the 
foundation of the settlement of Jamestown, 
he had seen more of the world than most 
men of seventy. 

Like many poor boys in England, young 
Smith was apprenticed to learn a trade; 
but he ran away from his master after a 
few weeks of his distasteful work, and 
then his wanderings over the world began. 
When old enough he became a soldier, aud 
fought in many lands. Once he was taken 
as a slave and forced to work for a Turkish 
master who was extremely hard and cruel 
to him. He suffered shipwrecks and fam- 
ine, but at last gained renown in a war 
with the Turks, in which he encountei'ed 
three of the Mohammedans and cut off 
their heads. In all this varied life he had 
gained a vast knowledge of human nature 
that served him well when he ultimately 
became the chief of the Virginian colony. 
More than once the Jamestown settlement 
was in danger of being destroyed by the 



UNITED STATES. 73 

Indians, but Smitli averted tlie calamity. 
AVlien the great fields of corn whicli tlie 
Indians had planted were ripe Smith 
bought all he could in exchange for 
beads, thimbles, and other bright trinkets, 
and so secured provisions for the winter. 

All this time, in the minds of the Eu- 
ropean rulers, America seemed of very lit- 
tle importance compared with the India of 
their dreams. So James I. was continually 
urging the colonists to seek for a passage 
through the narrow stretch of land that 
separated the Atlantic from the Pacific. 

At last, spurred on by these repeated 
requests, Capt. John Smith took two trusty 
men and set out in a small boat to exj^lore 
the Chickahominy River. Whether he 
really thought this little stream connected 
two mighty oceans, I cannot say. It would 
seem that a man with his clear mind would 
have known better. Perhaps he simply 
explored it in obedience to the orders of 
his kii>g. We are only certain he did 
not find the much-coveted way to India. 
When the river grew too narrow he left 
the boat in the care of his companions, 



74 



HISTORY OF THE 



who were both shortly killed, and ^\'o- 
ceeded overland on foot. 

He was followed and soon taken by the 
Indians, and would no doubt have suffered 
the fate of his friends had it not been for 




THE " HALF MOON " IN THE HUDSON. 

his coolness and tact in dealing with his 
captors. So he was only taken around as 
a kind of show from one Indian villao-e to 
another, and at last set free by Powhatan, 
the great chief of the tribe. 

This episode did not discourage Capt. 
John Smith. He saw that the Chesapeake 
Bay was a great deal larger than the 



UNITED STATES. 75 

Cliickaliominy River, and consequently 
was much more likely to be the connect- 
ing link between the two oceans. So he 
explored this bay to its head, and made a 
very good map of the I'egion. 

In 1609 Lord de la Ware was ap- 
pointed governor of Virginia, and that 
game year Captain Smith sailed to Eng- 
land to be treated foi* a wound. He never 
came back to the settlement of Jamestown 
or the regions lie bad so bravely explored. 

In 1614 he voyaged along the New 
Eno;land coast, traded ^^dth the Indians, 
and made a fair map of the region. Later 
he tried to persuade England to found a 
colony here, but the king was indifferent 
to the project. Smith, however, did set 
sail with some eighteen or twenty men for 
this purpose, but a storm threatened to 
wreck the vessel, pirates chased her, and 
finally all hands were taken prisoners. 
When at last released, his men \vere so 
discouraged with this beginning that they 
had lost all interest in JVew England, and 
only wished to get back to the Old England 
of their birth. So ended the first attempt 
at makino- a settlement in New Eno-land, 



76 HISTORY OF THE 



CHAPTER IX. 

HENKY HUDSON AND THE SETTLEMENT ON 
MANHATTAN ISLAND. 

For over one hundred years since the 
time that John Cabot sailed along our 
coast, England had never given up her 
hope of finding a nearer way to India. 
Henry Hudson, a brave navigator, had 
made several attempts to find the v^ay by 
sailing around the uoi'tbern coast of Eu- 
rope, but the ice stopped his progress eacli 
time. At last the company w^ho sent him 
becoming discouraged, gave up the project 
and turned their whole attention to catch- 
ing the whales he had found very abundant 
in those northern seas. 

The Dutch East India Company, how- 
ever, still had faith in the western passage, 
and learning of this brave English navi- 
gator, employed him to command an expe- 
dition for them. 

Somehow Hudson had heard that Capt. 
John Smith believed there was a passage 



UNITED STATES, 



77 




SIUTINY f>N HTDSON'S SHIP. 



78 HISTORY OF THE 



not far north of Virginia, so lie decided to 
try liis luck at finding it. The vessel that 
the company provided was a tiny affair 
called the Half Moon, but its name was des- 
tined to be remembered with three otlieis, 
the Santa Maria, Mayflower, and Wel- 
come, in the annals of a nation then un- 
born. 

The little Half Moon with its handful 
of seamen sailed across the ocean, and after 
coasting along America for a short time, 
entered the bay of New York. Proceeding 
northward, Henry Hudson discovered the 
beautiful river that bears his name. This 
was in 1609, and only a short time after 
the settlement at Jamestown. 

As Hudson and his men sailed up the 
river by the bcciutiful Jersey coast, rising 
in softly swelling hills clothed in richest 
foliage, they thought they had never seen 
any scene half as beautiful. The Indians 
too were fiiendly, and frequently paddled 
out to the Half Moon in their tiny bark 
canoes to exchange corn, pumpkins, or furs 
for beads and other trifles. Onward through 
the highlands and by the dreamy Catskills 



UNITED STATES. 79 



he lield liis courst^, and at last, Avlieii the 
river became too shallow for the little Half 
Mooii^ the explore]- took a small boat and 
proceeded some distance beyond Albany. 
Of course Hudson did not find the way to 
India. At last he turned and sailed down 
the river again, and across the Atlantic to 
Holland. 

Tlie next spring he sailed westward once 
more, hoping to find a way to the Pacific 
north of America. This time he com- 
manded an English ship, manned by a 
rough, mutinous crew. While on the 
voyage he discovered Hudson Bay, but 
his enemy of long ago — the ice — made 
his passage both dangerous and difficult. 
After a time food became scarce, and at 
last, in the spring of 1611, he was forced 
to divide with extreme care what little re- 
mained, that each man might get his Just 
portion. But Juet, the mate, had long 
been an enemy to the noble captain, and 
now found little difficulty in creating a 
mutiny among the half-famished crew. 
By his order they seized Hudson and his 
son, who was sailing with him, put them 



80 



HISTORY OF THE 



in a little boat, and set them adrift. 
Notbing more was ever heard of Henry 




riRST SKTTI,KMi:XT ON TIIK lllDSON. 

Hudson. It is supposed his frail boat was 
dashed in pieces by the floating ice and its 
inmates drowned. His vessel was at once 
turned toward England, but the cruel 



UNITED STATES. 



81 



mate died of starvation before it reached 
its destination. 




DnVH MANSION AX1> COTTAGK IN NKW AMSTF.UUAM. 

About five years after Hudson's visit to 
Manhattan the Dutch company sent a ves- 
sel to that place to trade with the Indians. 
By what proved afterward to be a stroke 
6 



82 HISTORY OF THE 

of good fortune, tliougli it was regarded 
in a very different light at the time, the 
ship caught fire just as tlie traders were 
about to sail for home, and burned up. 
So they were forced to remain all winter 
on the island. This was the commence- 
ment of the settlement which has grown 
to be the city of New Yoj'k. 

Very soon the Dutch company bought 
the whole island of the Indians, paying for 
it the munificent sum of one hundred and 
twenty -five dollars, and called it New Am- 
sterdam, after a city in Holland. 

For fifty years the colony prospered, do- 
ing a good business in furs and other mer- 
chandise with the Indians. But one morn- 
ing the people were surprised at seeing an 
English fleet anchor in their harl^or, and 
were not long in learning that Charles II., 
then King of England, claimed the land as 
his, because Cal)ot discovered it a great 
many years before. 

The old Dutch governor, Peter Stuyve- 
sant, got in a towering j)assion at this and 
stamped his wooden leg with rage, but it 
did no good. The fleet would not leave. 



UNITED STATES. 



83 



and the Dutcli after a while thought per- 
haps they would be better protected from 




PETKR STUYVESANT. 



the Indians if the English ruled. Poor 
Governor Stuyvesant was therefore forced 



84 



HISTORY OF THE 



to give up his comfoi'table city to the Eng- 
lish, who at once changed its picturesque 
name to New York, in honor of the Duke 
of York, who was brother to the king. 




OLD DUTCH CHURCH AT ALBANY, N. Y. 

This did not prevent the people speaking 
their own beloved language, however, and 
to this day certain Dutch customs are re- 
ligiously adhered to by many families de- 
scended from these first settlers. 



UNITED STATES. 85 

CHAPTER X. 

THE SETTLEMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS. 

Though Capt. John Sraitli failed in his 
efforts to found a colony on the shores 
of New Engl an dy his dream was destined 
soon to be realized, in a manner quite un- 
like what he had planned, Alx>ut this time 
there were a great many people in England 
having very conscientious scruples j'egard- 
ing the Sabbatli and its observances. They 
believed the magnilicent cathedrals, with 
their grand music and stately service, were 
abominations in God's sight, and, consider- 
ing it a sin to worship in such places, left 
off attending church. They met, however^ 
each Sunday in some house, usually their 
minister's, and had prayer-meetings. 

As King James I. was the spiritual as 
well as temporal niler of England, he was 
quite angry with these people for setting up 
a religion of their own, and made a law that 
those who did not attend his church should 
be severely punished. After this the poor 



HISTORY OF THE 



n 



" Puritans," as ttey were afterward called, 
did not dare to openly disobey him, though 
they continued to meet secretly at night. 
It was not long, however, before James I. 
found this out, and then aifairs became 
so bad they were glad to leave England 
and make Holland their home. Here, for 
twelve years, they worshipped God in the 
way they chose ; then a new trouble arose. 
Though they had forsaken the land of their 
birth, they were still at heart Englishmen, 
very fond of England and English customs, 
and thought no language in the world quite 
as pleasant to the ear as their own. But to 
their sorrow they found their children were 
growing up to be more Dutch than English, 
and they foresaw that if they remained in 
Holland much longer their descendants 
would forget they had ever lived anywhere 
else. Word sometimes reached them from 
the Dutch settlement on Manhattan Island, 
and they at last decided to cross the ocean 
and found a settlement in Virginia, where 
their children would hear only English 
spoken, and so grow up English lads and 
lasses. 



UNITED STATES. 



87 



".^?^J^^~*" H^^ 




PIMiRIM KATriKRS AROUND THK WATCH-FIRE. 



8S 



HISTORY OF THE 



In all these years a great many Pilgrims 
had come over to Holland, so many, in fact. 



■■■■-■ ;v1i!IIBP^^ 




BIBLE BROUGHT OVER IN "MAYFLOWER.' 

that it would be impossible for them all to 
go to America at once. So the young and 
strong were chosen to make the first voyage. 



UNITED STATES. 89 

Two small ships that had seen much ser- 
vice were secured aud fitted up for the pur- 
pose. These wqvq called the Mayflower and 
the Speedwell., and ou a sunny morning in 
the month of July, 1620, they sailed out 
of the harbor of Delft Haven with one 
hundred men, ^^^omen, and children on 
board. 

Of these two ships, only the 2£ay- 
flowei' completed her voyage, the Speed- 
well^ after a few days out, putting back for 
repairs. The voyage was long and try- 
ing, and the weather grcAV very cold before 
they sighted land. The little vessel had 
become so leaky from the severe storms she 
encountered that at one time it was feared 
she would go to the bottom. So it was 
with thankful hearts that those on board 
first beheld the low, sandy point of Cape 
Cod. 

Though they had not intended stopping 
here, the captain persuaded them that it 
would be unsafe to proceed to the Hudson, 
which had been decided upon as their des- 
tination. So the Mayflower was anchored 
in Cape Cod Harbor, and a number of the 



90 HISTORY OF THE 

men went on shore to select a place for 
a settlement. With the Pilgrims came a 
brave soldier, Capt. 3Iiles Standish by 
name. He did not belong to their church, 
but he had lived among them for some 
time, and had become very dear to them. 
W hen it was decided that they were to 
make themselves a home in Amenca, he 
offered to come with them, and soon proved 
himself to be a very valuable acquisition to 
the new colonw He it was who led the 
band of men along the bleat coast and 
through the woods in their search of a 
sidtable place for a home. For some time 
nothing seemed to quite please them ; but 
the captain of the Mayflower was in haste 
to get bact to Holland, and his provis- 
ions were fast using up, while his threats 
to put their household goods on the sandy 
beach and turn his vessel toward home 
grew daily more pronounced. 

Caj>tain Standish and his men were 
much surprised to find the country appar- 
ently quite destitute of inhabitants, and 
were at a loss to account for the fact. At 
one place they found the earth had been 



rXITED STATES. 91 

recently disturbed, and Qp:>n digging a 
slight distance below the surface <ii>cov- 
ered a great basket of rashes lilled with 
com- The Pilgrims were very glad to 
add this to their scanty stores, so they 
took it, promising to pay a fair price to 
the owner if he should ever be fotmd. 
We are glad to know that they kept this 
promise. 

At last Stand ish decided upon a spot 
that Capt. John Smith had called Ply- 
mouth as the most pi*omising place for the 
settlement, and the Mayflower was brought 
into the harbor. Before the Pilgrims left 
the ship, however, they were careful to 
provide themselves with a government. 
They drew up and signed a d«x"ument, 
which was simply a code of laws framed 
for the general good, and promise of 
obedience to these laws. Then they chose 
John Cai'ver to be their governor. It was 
on the 21st of December, 1620, according 
to one way of reckoning, that they all went 
ashore, stepping fn>m the little boat ujx^n 
a great Ixnilder of granite, instead of the 
l^ebbly beach. This rock is still carefully 



92 HISTORY OF THE 

preserved, and can be seen by any one 
visiting Plymouth. 

That was a cold, trying winter that first 
found the Pilgrims in their new home, and 
Death was a constant visitor in the infant 
colony. One after another of the less 
vigorous yielded to his sway, and had their 
graves dug in the frozen ground, until only 
fifty of the hopeful little band were left. 
Of these one was a baby-boy, born on ship- 
board while on the way across the ocean, 
and named Peregrine White. Governor 
Carver's wife and child, together with the 
wife of Capt. Miles Staudish, were among 
the first who died. 

But ^vitli the first warm days of early 
spring, ere the snow had entirely dis- 
appeared from the shady crevices of the 
hill-sides, fortune in the form of an Indian 
chief came to visit the colon}^ This was 
Massasoit, who proved a life-long friend of 
the Pilo:rims. 

AVhile Standish and his men were hunt- 
ing for a suitable spot to land, they were 
one day surprised by a shower of arrows 
which seemed to come from a little clump of 



UNITED STATES. 



93 



evergreens near by. Fortunately, no one 
was harmed, hut a moment later a cliorus 
of the most terrible yells, accompanied by 




Mn.Es standish's sword, pot, and flatter. 



a second shower of arrow?, told them that a 
band of hostile Indians was near at hand. 
Standish and his party returned this greet- 
ing with a volley from their guns that 



94 



HISTORY OF THE 



made the Indians take to their heels at 
once, and during the winter they kept at a 
respectful distance from the new-comers. 

The natives were not at all pleased with 
this intrusion into their domains, however, 



5-^^"^^\^\%'iii|Wi(/*y''j ^^^r 'j^ 




TREATY BETWEEN tiOViCKXUR CARVER AND MASSASOIT. 



and at last concluded that, though not a 
safe people to approach too closely, they 
might be able to rid their land of the 
Pilgrims by means of witchcraft ; but the 
great "pow-wow" that they held for 
the purpose seemed to have no effect 
upon the white strangers, and they were 
devising other means for their extermina- 



UNITED STATES. 95 

tion wlien Massasoit declared a friendship 
for the enemy. 

Some distance from Plymouth, on the 
shores of Narragansett Bay, this great 
chief had his home. A simple wigwam 
on the top of a grassy knoll sheltered him 
and his family from the piercing storms of 
winter, and fierce summer sun. From his 
doorway he could look out upon the 
sparkling waters of the bay, while at the 
foot of the hill bubbled up the crystal 
fountain of pure water that to this day 
bears his name. It was shaded by a great 
forest then, and long, tangled grasses and 
graceful ferns bent over it as it hurried 
merrily onward to mingle its sweetness 
with the bitter waters of the bay. Now, 
unshaded and unmarked, it flows slowly 
along its gravelly bed, so hidden and un- 
assuming that the passer-by would never 
dream of its historical importance if he 
had not been carefully directed to the 
spot. So it is that men are sometimes 
prone to forget the benefactors of their 
race. New England has raised monu- 
ments to many heroes far less deserving 



96 HISTORY OF THE 

than the noble Massasoit, but no stone or 
mark whatever points out the site of his 
dwelling-place, or records one of his many 
unselfish deeds. 

When this great and good chief heard 
that the white men were settled not far 
from Sowamset, he started to make them 
a visit, accomj)anied by a number of his 
principal men. He sent word by an 
Indian of his tribe named Squanto that 
he was coming. Squanto could speak a 
few words in English, which he had 
learned from the (5rews of fishino:-smacks 
off the coast of Maine, so he became a very 
valuable interpreter to the whites. 

The Pilgrims received Massasoit with 
much pomp, and escorted him to the 
finest house in the colony. Then, amidst 
the flourish of trumpets and beating of 
drums, Governor Carver entered his pres- 
ence. Food and presents w-ere offered to 
the chief, who, after camping for a short 
time on a hill near by, went back to his 
home. Three days after this interview 
John Carver died, and William Bradford 
was made governor. Later the Pilgrims 



UNITED STATES. 97 

sent Massasoit a bright-colored cotton 
coat, and copper chain, whicli greatly 
pleased the chief, and possibly helped to 
cement the firm friendship which always 
existed between him and the early settlers. 
But all tlie neighboring tribes were not 
subject to Massasoit, and one of these, the 
Narragansetts, which occupied the western 
shores of the bay, at one time thought to 
intimidate the whites by sending them a 
snake-skin filled with arrows, but Captain 
Standish simply removed the arrows, and 
filling the skin with bullets, sent it back to 
the Indians. Nothing more was heard from 
the Narragansetts — they had already had 
a taste of English bullets, and did not 
care to take another. 

That spring the white men planted com, 
and never again experienced such keen 
sufferings from hunger as they had felt the 
first winter. 

Many hardships awaited them in their 
new home. Even the precious hours of 
worship, for which they had braved so 
much, were not always undisturbed; and 
while good Elder Brewster preached his 



98 HISTORY OF THE 

long sermon, the men sat with their guns 
at their sides, to guard against any sad- 
den surprise of the Indians. 

In November, 1621, thirty-five of those 
who started in the Speedwell joined the 
little colony, and during the following July 
a number of others came. These last were 
an idle, dissolute set, not at all fitted to 
plant a colony. They were sent by a 
wealthy man, named Weston, who was 
quite put out with the Plymouth Company, 
and so wished to found a rival settlement. 
These people remained at Plymouth for 
several weeks, living upon the Pilgrims' 
slender store of food, but at last settled at 
a place called by the Indians Wissagusset. 
They were lazy and shiftless, and soon 
found themselves without food ; then they 
commenced a system of begging and stealing 
fi'om the Indians, which soon exasperated 
them to such an alarming extent that the 
savages decided to destroy the settlement. 
Through the kindness of Massasoit the 
plot was revealed to his white friends 
at Plymouth, and Captain Standish, with 
eight men, hastened to the rescue. So 



UNITED STATES. 



99 



many Indians were killed in the fight 
that ensued that the neighboring tribes 




BREWSTER S CHAIR. 



were intimidated for some time to come. 

In 1625 Charles I. ascended the throne, 

but he hated those opposed to his Church 



100 HISTORY OF THE 

quite as much as his father had done. 
These people, who were called Non-con- 
formists, were oppressed more severely 
as time went on, until John White, a 
Puritan minister of Dorchester, England, 
sent a small number of them across the 
sea to found a colony in America. For 
two years these j^eople lived upon the 
bleak and rocky Cape Ann, hoping to 
make a livelihood by fishing, but in 1626 
they moved further south to Naumkeag, 
now called Salem. In 1028 John Endi- 
cott and a hundred followers came to the 
place, making it a permanent settlement 
and laying the foundations of the colony 
of Massachusetts Bay. 

John Endicott was chosen governor, and 
in the following year, March 14, 1629, 
Charles I. issued a charter incorporating 
the proprietors, under the name of "The 
Governor and Company of the Massachu- 
setts Bay in New England." This colony 
increased rapidly, and in July of that year 
two hundred settlers arrived, a part of 
whom removed to the north shore of Bos- 
ton Harbor and laid the foundations of 



UNITED STATFK 



101 




JOHN EXDICOTT. 



102 HISTORY OF THE 

Charlestown, naming it for the king. 
Men now came gladly to New England, 
and the colony prospered. In July, 1630, 
John Winthrop, who had been appointed 
governor before leaving England, and 
some three hundred immigrants came, set- 
tling at Dorchester, Cambridge, Water- 
town, and Roxbury. Governor Winthrop 
intended making his home in Charlestown, 
but a prevailing illness there, occasioned, it 
was feared, by the unwholesome water, led 
him and several of his friends to change 
their location to a place called by the 
Indians Shawmut, where a fine spring of 
pure cold water gushed out from one of 
the three hills which formed the peninsula. 
Here the foundations of Boston were laid, 
and for many years the place was known 
as Tri-Mountain. Though hardships did 
not cease at once, the Massachusetts set- 
tlements prosjDered on the whole. As 
more men came, attention turned toward 
the education of the children. Mothers 
taught their little ones at first, but in a 
few years schools began to appear, and 
some man well qualified for the position 



UNITED STATES. 103 

was entreated to become sclioolmaster. In 
1638 Harvard College was founded, and 
so called in lionor of Jolin IIar\'ard, who 
left to It four thousand dollars and his 
books. Though these early settlers of New 
England were sometimes at a loss to know 
where they could obtain their next meal, 
they always had good books with them, 
John Endicott's library numbering two 
hundred and seventy-five volumes. In 
about a year after the founding of Har- 
vard College, a printing-press was set up 
at Cambridge. Thus it was that at that 
early date New England took an active 
interest in education, and laid the founda- 
tions of the excellent school system which 
has received a world-wide reputation. 



104 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER XL 

OTHER NEW EISTGLAjNTD COLONIES. 

As early as 1623 a number of trading 
posts were established in what is now New 
Hamj)shii'e, and from tbese several settle- 
ments sj^rung. The many fish in the rivers 
drew men to the region, and led them to 
brave the hardships of winter and dangers 
from Indians. But the colony was feeble 
and isolated, so in a few years it was, at 
its own request, received into the Massa- 
chusetts Bay Colony. For nearly half a 
century the two Avere united ; then these 
settlements Avere again formed into a sepa- 
rate province by Charles II., king of Great 
Britain, and called New Hampshire. 

In the little town of Salem there was a 
bright young preacher named Boger Wil- 
liams. Tliis man had left England for a 
land where he might worship God as he 
chose, but upon reaching it he found he 
had no more rights in tliis respect than in 
his native country. He was at liberty to 
believe and preacli the doctrine of the 



UNITED STATES. 



105 




KOGEK WILLIAMS ON HIS WAY TO KHODE ISLAND. 



106 HISTORY OF THE 

Puritans, but it was considered heresy for 
liim to whisper a word of any other. He 
thought this all very wrong, and said so. 
The stern Puritan fathers would not coun- 
tenance such doctrines, and were about to 
send him back to Eno;land when he made 
his escape and hastened to the domain of 
Massasoit, of whom he bought a tract of 
land, which he at once called Providence. 
Here he said other free-thinkers like him- 
seK could hnd a home and worship God 
as they 2:)leased, and very soon a number 
of families followed him thither. This 
was in the year 1636, and proud indeed 
may the children of Rhode Island be of 
the noble man who laid the foundation 
of their State, for Poger Williams was 
the first man in this country or in Europe 
who dared and who did proclaim the full 
gospel of religious freedom. 

Now that the Puritan ministers had ban- 
ished Poger Williams, they hoped to have 
things their own way, but they were sadly 
disappointed. The brave young man had 
set others to thinking, and in spite of 
threats of banishment to any who dared to 



UNITED STATES. 107 

depart from the doctrines they preached, 
the number of heretics, as they were called, 
grew larger every day. People talked of 
little else than religion or doctrines, and 
every sermon was reviewed and criticised 
as no sermon of the present day is dreamed 
of beino-. Think of listeninsr to a sermon 
for two long hours, remembering the whole 
of it, and making it the subject of conver- 
sation for most of the following week ! 
And the sermons of those days were very 
unlike those we listen to in our churches of 
to-day. Indeed, they were so very diy and 
dull I fear most of us would find it hard 
to keep our attention fixed upon one for 
even ten minutes at a time. 

There was a bright woman in the colony 
who thought gravely and expressed her 
opinions freely concerning the weighty 
matter of doctrines. At first the elders 
were shocked at her indifference to pro- 
priety. " Women should be seen but not 
heard," they said. Then they grew indig- 
nant and threatened to banish her if she 
did not desist in her efforts. But she paid 
little attention to these I'everend gentlemen. 



108 HISTORY OF THE 

and continued holding meetings, at wliich 
. she spoke with great fervor of the impor- 
tance of religious freedom. At this time 
Sir Henry Vane, a young nobleman who 
had come from England in the ship with 
Mrs. Hutchinson, was governor of the col- 
on}, and he, with a large number of Boston 
people, favored her opinions. But at last 
the good ministers and their supporters 
could stand it no longer : so they called a 
meetino:, and after much serious debatino; 
Mrs. Hutchinson and her friends wei'e 
banished from Massachusetts because 
"they were unfit for the society of 
Christians." These exiles at once turned 
to the settlement Roger Williams had 
founded. 

In Narragansett Bay lies a beautiful 
island that the Indians called the Isle of 
Peace. At that time it belonged to 
Miantouomoh, a chief of the Narragan- 
setts, but lioger Williams had taken 
pains to make friends with all the Indians 
about him, and to him the chief sold this 
fair island for forty fathoms of white 
beads, and Mrs. Hutchinson and her foL 



UNITED STATES. 109 

lowers at once settled there, and changed 
its name to Rhode Island. 

One fine mornino: in 1633 a little vessel 
sailed out of Plymouth Harbor, contain hig 
not only household goods, but the frame 
of the house that was to shelter them, 
and made its way slowly around Cape 
Cod and along the Sound, until it reached 
the Connecticut, or " long river," as the 
name means in the Indian language. 
Some time before this the Dutch, wish- 
ing to keep this pleasant land to them- 
selves, had built a fort where the city of 
Hartford now stands, aud on its top they 
had planted a cannon to frighten intruders 
away. 

John Holmes, the owner of the little 
vessel, was quite surprised when he came 
in sight of this little fort. He did not 
know there were any white men in the 
region. But he was still more surprised 
when the Dutch came out of the fort and 
ordered him to turn back, threatening to 
sink his vessel if he did not stop. But 
Holmes was a brave man, and kept on his 
course, pretending not to hear what they 



110 HISTORY OF THE 



said. He saw tliem load their cannon and 
make ready to fire. Little he cared, how- 
ever; for the favoring breeze would soon 
take him beyond their reach, and he knew 
the Dutch could not hit him if they did 
their best, for they were no marksmen at 
all. So he only laughed at their efforts 
to scare him, which, no doubt, made them 
very angry. A short distance further up, 
at Windsor, he unloaded his boat, and put 
up his house. This was the first step to- 
ward the settlement of Connecticut. 

Reports of the beautiful Connecticut 
valley soon reached England, and a grant 
of the land was given to Lords Say-and- 
Seal and Brooke. Early in the year 1635 
they sent young Winthro^^, son of the 
Governor of Massachusetts, to build a fort 
at the mouth of the Connecticut River 
to prevent further encroachments of the 
Dutch. This younger Winthrop was one 
of the noblest and brightest men in the 
colony, a worthy rival of his illustrious 
father. He hastened to the place and 
built a small fort, as commanded, nam- 
ing it Saybrook in honor of the two pro- 



n 



UNITED STATES. 



Ill 




CHARirs II 



112 HISTORY OF THE 

prietors. In October of the same year 
sixty persons set out from Boston to 
make their home in this fair valley. 
They made the long journey on foot, and 
through woods where white men had 
never travelled before. Driving their 
cattle before them, and v^dtli their wives 
and little ones trudging alongside, they 
made slow progress. The winter set in 
early that year, and the cold was so in- 
tense that their cattle perished on the 
way, and many of their number sickened 
and died, while those who were left suf- 
fered dreadfully during the winter from 
want of food. 

But the next spring another and larger 
party from Boston joined them. These 
also travelled through the woods, but the 
warm spring weather made the journey 
very different from that of the fall be- 
fore. These people founded Hartford and 
Wethersfield. 

Maine was visited very early by fisher- 
men who came down from the great fishing 
banks near Newfoundland, but these made 
no permanent settlements. It was about 



UNITED STATES. 



118 




ON THE WAY TO CONNECTKUT. 



114 HISTORY OF THE 

the year 1626 that the first actual settle- 
ment was made at the mouth of the Pema- 
quick River. 

Before we proceed with the distressing 
Indian wars that for years threatened to 
destroy this country, it might be Avell to 
give a slight sketch of the political history 
of the Massachusetts colony up to the 
eighteenth century. 

While Cromwell was Protector, the peo- 
ple of Massachusetts and other parts of 
New England enjoyed unrestrained liberty 
as to their political government, but upon 
the restoration of Charles IT. a change 
came. Commissioners appointed by the 
king were sent across the sea to examine 
tlie affairs of the English colonies in 
America, and to establisli tlie authority 
of the king. 

When James II. was made king, he 
united all New England under one gov- 
ernor. Sir Edmund Andros, who was 
haughty and severe, and far from loved 
by the colonists. So it was with joy that 
the people of Massachusetts heard of the 
overthrow of James II., for they hoped 



UNITED STATEiS. 



115 




SIR EDMUND ANDROS. 



116 HISTORY OF THE 



now to be rid of tlieir tyrannic governor. 
Agents were sent to plead witli William 
and Mary, not only to remove Andros, 
but to restore the charter which Charles 
II. had taken away. Andros was called 
home and a new charter given in 1691 by 
which Massachusetts became a royal prov- 
ince. The Plymouth colony and Maine 
were made parts of Massachusetts at this 
time, and Sir William Phipps made gover- 
nor. 



UNITED STATES. 



117 




CUMMISSIONERS LANUINO AT BOSTON. 



118 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER XII. 

EARLY WARS WITH THE INDIANS. 

Connecticut was inhabited by a num- 
ber of large Indian tribes, among which 
the Peqiiods, living in the southeastern 
part of the State, were the most powerful. 
Their country was covered with trees and 
wild grasses, and in it lived the game 
upon which they depended for food. Now, 
as they saw the white men spreading their 
settlements over it, they began to be jeal- 
ous and alarmed. What would they do 
if the English drove away all the animals 
and game, or shot and ate it themselves ? 
At last they decided to exterminate the 
intruders. The chief of the Pequods was 
a great warrior called Sassacus, who in 
1637 began what is known as the " Pequod 
War," the first of those horrible massacres 
the thoughts of which even now strike 
terror to the heart. 

One day a man Avas sailing along the 
coast near Block Island, with his two boys, 
when one of them observed a boat some 



UNITED STATES. 119 

distance off filled witli Indians. He called 
the attention of tlie others to it, and upon 
nearer approach discovered it to be one 
they all knew, belonging to a settler named 
Oldham. The man, mistrusting something 
was wrong, made for the boat, which 
frightened the savages so much they 
jumped into the water and swam for the 
shore. When reached, it was found to 
contain the bleeding and lifeless body of 
Oldham hidden under a fishing-net on the 
bottom. 

Soon after this, in the winter of 1636-37, 
the Pequods killed a number of settlers, 
and in the April following nine persons 
were murdered at Wethersfield. These 
acts so incensed the whites that ninety 
men from Hartford, Wethersfield, and 
Windsor, under Capt. John Mason of 
Hartford, volunteered to punish them. 
The Pequods would no doubt have suc- 
ceeded in ridding the land of the white 
men if they could have persuaded the 
other tribes to join them. Massasoit was 
a friend of the English, but he lived across 
the bay, and so was of less importance to 



120 HISTORY OF THE 

the cause than the Narragan setts, a v^ery 
large and powerful tribe. When the peo- 
ple of Boston learned what the Pequods 
were trying to do, they were greatly 
alarmed. Knowing that Roger Williams 
was greatly reverenced and loved by the 
Narragansetts, they sent to him, begging 
that he would dissuade their chief from 
this union of forces. 

Now the man whom they had driven 
from his home out into the unbroken 
forest, in the midst of winter, not caring 
whether he lived or died, had a good 
chance to repay them for the unjust deed. 
Would he do it ? 

Upon receiving their message this good 
man set out in his frail canoe, in a violent 
storm, from Providence, which he had 
founded only a month before, and paddled 
slowly down the bay. Every minute it 
seemed as if the little boat with its soli- 
tary occupant would go to the bottom, 
but at last, after the most exhausting- 
efforts, he reached the Narragansett village 
and hastened at once to the wigwam of 
the chief. The Pequod chiefs were already 



UNITED STATES. 121 

there, but he pleaded so earnestly with 
Caaouicus and Miantonomoh to stand fast 
to their promises to the English that in 
three days he had the j)leasure of seeing 
the disappointed Pequods turn back to 
their home. 

Uncas, the chief of the Mohegans, a 
tribe occupying the country west of the 
Connecticut River, not only refused to 
join the hostile Indians, but furnished a 
party of seventy warriors to assist Captain 
Mason. Twenty soldiers were also sent 
fi'om Boston. These troops entered several 
small vessels and sailed down the river, 
and then eastward through the Sound. 
Just beyond the Thames were the two 
Pequod forts, the strongholds of their 
nation. AVhen the Indians saw the squad- 
ron pass without trying to land, they set 
up a series of most derisive shouts and 
yells, for they thought the hearts of the 
English had failed them, and that they were 
afraid to fight. Then they all joined in a 
most savage and uproarious jubilee. The 
vessels kept on their way until they cast 
anchor in the harbor of Wickford. Then 



122 HISTORY OF THE 

the troops started on a line of march across 
country, trying in vain to persuade the 
Narragansetts to join them. But the wary 
chiefs, fearing the enterprise might not 
prove successful, would have nothing to 
do with it. The English reached the fort 
at nightfall on May 25, and hid in the 
s\vamp near by until the Indians slept, 
for they had not yet ceased their revelry 
over their supposed intimidation of their 
foes. Tavo hours after midnight the sol- 
diers crept from their hiding-jDlaces and 
rushed forward to the fort, the howling 
of a dog being the first warning the 
Indians had of approaching danger. A 
fearful battle ensued, in which the wig- 
wams and fort were set on fire, and six 
hundred men, women, and children per- 
ished in the flames. Only seven warriors, 
including Sassacus, escaped. This chief 
sought refuge mth the Mohegans, but was 
murdered. In the early morning the in- 
habitants of the other fort, numbering some 
three hundred, rushed out upon the scene 
of devastation. They had heard the up- 
roar and did not doubt but their friends 



UNITED STATES. 123 

were victorious. The sight of the half- 
charrecl remains of their relatives and 
friends drove them nearly frantic with 
rage and horror. They took but one look, 
then rushed away into the woods. But 
they were hunted down and given to the 
Narragansetts and Mohegans for servants, 
a few being sold as slaves. Thus ended 
the first Indian war. 

For many years after this the New Eng- 
land colonists had no trouble with the 
Indians ; if any of them were tempted to 
revolt, they had only to be reminded of 
the fate of the powerful Pequods to make 
them the most docile of neighbors. 

But this state of things could not al- 
ways last. 

At first the Indians were very i-eady to 
sell their land for bright-colored beads and 
English guns, but after a while they awoke 
to the understanding that their hunting- 
grounds were becoming too small to sup- 
port them. About the year 1662, Mas- 
sasoit, the chief of the Wampanoags, died, 
and in less than a year his eldest son, whom 
the English called Alexander, followed him. 



124 HISTORY OF THE 

Then the brave and able Philip became 
sachem of the tribe. Philip was a bright, 
thoughtful man, who would gladly have 
kept the peace, but he was surrounded by 
young, hot-headed warriors who longed to 
drive the white men from their land, and 
possess once more the freedom of their 
fathers' times. 

For some offence Alexander had been 
arrested by the colonists and sent to prison 
in Boston, and here he caught the fever 
that ended his life. The Indian who as- 
sisted in his conviction was soon afterward 
caught and murdered by his companions, 
and these in turn were seized by the Eng- 
lish, condemned, and hanged. The Indians 
are always revengeful, and this last act of 
the white men increased their anger to a 
white heat. Kiug Philip saw he could not 
lono;er restrain them, thous;!! he tried in 
vain to do so. His warriors were all as- 
sembled near his home on Mount Hope, 
now ill Bristol, R. I., and having sent the 
women and children across the bay to Can- 
onchet, the sachem of the Narragan setts, 
for protection, he let his young braves 



UNITED STATES. 125 

have their way. It is said that the brave 
man wept, however, when he heard that 
English blood had been shed, for he clearly 
saw from the first what must be the inevi- 
table end of the struggle. On June 24, 
1675, the village of Swanzey was attacked, 
and eight people killed. This was the 
commencement of a long, bloody war, 
known as king philip's war. 



126 HISTORY OF THE 



CHAPTEK XIII. 

KING Philip's war. 

Troops from Boston and Plymouth hast- 
ened to the country of the Wampanoags, 
overtaking and killing a few Indians on the 
way, and compelling Philip to flee with 
his six hundred warriors across Mount 
Hope Bay to the Tiverton shores. Here 
they were again assailed, but from their 
position in a swamp they were able to 
drive off the enemy, who afterward sur- 
rounded the camp, hoping to starve the 
Indians out. But Philip and his men at 
last escaped, one dark night, and, crossing 
the bay, hastened to the country of the 
Nipmucks, in Massachusetts, along the 
Connecticut River and its tributaries. 
Then the seat of war was changed to this 
region, an<l many towns were sur23rised, 
and their inhabitants cruelly murdered. 
At Brookfleld Captains Wheeler and 
Hutchinson, witli twenty young men, went 
out to meet a party of Indians to arrange 
tonus of peace. But instead of sending 



UNITED STATES. 



127 



ambassadors, the Indians laid in ambush, 
and when the white men appeared fired 
upon and killed nearly all of them. The 
few who were left rushed to the villas-e, 




KING PHILIPS ARMS. 



and giving the alarm, hastened with the 
other settlers to the block-house, or fort, 
where foi* two days they were assailed in 
every conceivable way the Indians could 
invent. Twice the roof was fired by burn- 



128 HISTORY OF THE 

ing aiTows, but the Euglish tore off the 
shingles and put the fii'e out. Then the 
savages made a cart of a few I'ough boughs 
attached to a barrel for a wheel. This 
they heaped high with straw, and setting 
it on fire, pushed it up to the house ; but for- 
tunately a shower came up at that moment 
and extinguished the flames. In time reen- 
forcements came from Springfield and drove 
the Indians away, but only to do their work 
of destruction in other parts of the land. 

At the beginning of the war King Philip 
had a coat or cape made of bits of shells, 
or wampum. This was considered of great 
value among the Indians all over New Eng- 
land, because each little shell-bead in it was 
in their eyes a piece of money. Indeed, if a 
man of our day should have a cloak made 
entirely of gold dollars strung upon threads 
and woven together, it would have the same 
value to us that Philip's shell coat did to 
the Indians. But when the war began he 
bravely cut his precious garment in pieces 
and used the wampum to hire warriors of 
other tribes to fight for him. 

On August 26, the Indians attacked 



UNITED STATES, 129 

Deerfield, but were driven away. A few 
days afterward they succeeded, in setting 
fire to the village, and only a few houses 
were saved. Among these was a store- 
house where the recently gathered wheat 
and corn were kept. The settlers were 
forced to seek shelter in Hadley, but knew 
if they left these stores unprotected the 
Indians would take them. 80 on Septem- 
ber 18, Captain Lathrop, with a company 
of eighty of the noblest young men of the 
place, undertook the hazardous task of 
carrying them to Hadley. It was a per- 
fect morning that these young men set out 
on their self-imposed task ; they had only 
proceeded five miles on their journey when 
they were surrounded by some eight hun- 
dred Indians, who lay in ambush at a 
spot where they must ford a small stream. 
The men fought bravely, but not one es- 
caped from the murderous foes. After a 
while reenforcements came and the savages 
were diiveu away, but the little stream, 
\vhich was dyed red with human blood 
during the battle, has ever since been called 

Bloody Brook. 
9 



130 HISTORY OF THE 

Ou tlie same day that Deerfield was 
burned a very strange tiling happened at 
Hadley. While the people were in church 
the Indians fell upon the village, and 
would have destroyed it if it had not been 
for the courage and wdsdoni of a single 
man. 

Hidden in one of the houses lived an 
old gentleman named General Goife, whose 
presence in the village was not known 
beyond the household circle of which he 
formed part. In 1649 he had been one of 
the Judges who had condemned Charles I. 
to death ; but sixteen yeai's before, when 
Charles II., son of that unhappy monarch, 
came to the throne, he beheaded all of these 
judges he could find. General Goife came 
to America, but even here he was afraid 
that some friend of the king might know 
him and deliver him up. So it was that 
while every other person in the village was 
at meeting he took the time to walk about 
the grounds near his house and get his 
weekly airing. 

He saw the Indians preparing to attack 
the town, and, forgetful of his own safety, 



UNITED STATES. 131 

tlie old soklier rushed to tlie meeting- 
house, gave the alarm, and by his wise di- 
rections helped to drive the enemy away. 
After that the people never saw him again ; 
he vanished as suddenly as he appeared. 
But they ever held in tender remembrance 
the gray-headed, soldierly old man who 
saved their homes and families from de- 
struction and death. 

In the fall the Narragan setts, who had 
promised friendship to the English, forgot 
their vows and offered their land as a 
refuge to Philip and his men. In the 
lower part of their country was a great 
swamp, and here they built their wigwams 
and stored their winter's supply of food. 

The English soon learned that they 
were there and decided to attack them 
in tlieir camp. A large force, under the 
brave Captain Church, rushed in upon 
them, before they realized their retreat 
was known, set fire to their wigwams, 
burned their winter's food, and killed 
many of their bravest warriors. The old 
men, women, and little children who were 
too feeble to escape were burned with the 



132 HISTORY OF THE 

village. Canoncliet escaped, but was cap- 
tured near Providence. Many of the In- 
dians who escaped the flames that night 
died of starvation before the winter was 
over. 

After this the Indians never rallied, 
though they continued their work of dev- 
astation whenever chance offered. Like 
many white people, they liked to lay the 
blame of their misfortunes upon other 
shoulders than their own, and at last 
turned upon the unfortunate Philip, accus- 
ing him of bringing about all their troubles. 

Finally, the poor chief, weary and un- 
happy, left his wife and boy, to go back 
for one last look at his old home on Mount 
Hope, and to visit the graves of his father 
and brothers. A traitorous Indian informed 
the white people of his movements, and 
led them to Mount Hope. When Philip 
saw them coming he rushed into the woods 
to the west of his wigwam, and here in 
a swamp he was shot by the brother of 
the Indian that he had murdered for 
testifying against Alexander some years 
before. 



UNITED STATES. 133 

With Philip's death ended the war that 
had spread terror throughout New Eng- 
land for many months. In it more than 
six hundred white men had lost their 
lives, and nearly that number of houses 
had been burned. 



134 HISTORY OF THE 



CHAPTER XIV. 

MARYLAND, NEW JERSEY, AND DELAWARE 
SETTLED. 

Two years before Roger Williams 
founded his little colony at Providence, a 
party of Catholics, under Leonard Calvert, 
came to America and settled on the Chesa- 
peake Bay. 

The land was granted by the King of 
England to Sir George Calvert, Lor<l Bal- 
timore, but before he had completed his 
arranscements for cominsr to America he 
died, and his son Cecil succeeded to the 
grant. As Cecil did .not care to come 
himself, he sent his brother to govern the 
colony. Lord Baltimore's charter was a 
very liberal one ; among other things pro- 
viding that the English government should 
not tax the colony or interfere in its 
aifairs. In it he called the region Mary- 
land, in honor of Henrietta Maria, the 
Queen of England. 

Unlike many of the early settlers in 
America, the people of Maryland had a 



UNITED STATES. 135 

pleasant, easy time from the very first. 
Fortunate in fixing their time of coming, 
they found fine weather and a rich, fertile 
soil awaiting them. Abundant crops re- 
warded tlieir first year s efforts, and before 
long many friends from England joined 
them. Calvert paid a fair price for the 
land, and in other ways treated the In- 
dians kindly. A few presents now and 
then insured the good will and affection 
of the natives, who in tlieir turn taught 
the men how to tend tlieir crojjs, while 
from the squaws the wives learned the art 
of making com-bread and Johnny-cake. 

The happiness of these people would 
have been perfect but for the unscrupu- 
lous interference of one bad man. This 
was William Clayborne, a member of the 
council of Virginia. Virginia at this time 
claimed all the land along the Atlantic 
coast from the Delaware Bay to Cape 
Fear, and though glad to have colonists 
settle in her domain, objected to these on 
the Chesapeake because they were Cath- 
olics. 

Before Calvert's arrival Clayborne had 



136 HISTORY OF THE 

established a trading post within the 
boundary lines of Maryland, and later 
was unwilling to give it up. He was 
jealous of Calvert, and did all he could 
to sow the seeds of discord in the colony. 




CECIL, SECOND LORD BALTIMORE, 

In the course of a few years he stirred 
up several rebellions, and early in 1645 
he headed an insurrection and succesded 
in overthrowing the government. Gover- 
nor Calvert was forced to fly for his life. 
Not satisfied with this. Clay borne seized 
on the records of Maryland and burned 
them, and ruled the little colony ^\ ith a 
despotic hand for over a year. 

Meanwhile Governor Calvert was col- 



UNITED STATES. 137 

lecting liis forces, and wlieii alJ ^vas ready 
he marelied against tlie insurgents, and 
with considerable difficulty succeeded in 
restoring his authority. 

By this time people from almost every 
part of Europe had had a hand in settling 
America. The Swedes and Finns, from 
the far north, however, had planted no 
colony here, and in IfiSS they, too, decided 
to send a party of emigrants across the 
sea to leave their imj)rint in the new land. 

Landing on Delaware Bay, they bought 
a tract of land from the Indians, and 
called it New Sweden. Here they built 
forts and prepared to live quietly. But 
the Dutch from New Amsterdam claimed 
this particular spot, by right of their 
grant given many years before. They 
had already a fev/ trading posts estab- 
lished here, and wished to hold all the 
traffic with the Indians for themselves. 
So very soon after the Swedes came a 
quarrel arose, A\hich resulted, in the year 
1655, in the conquest of New Sweden by 
the Dutch. Later it was called Delaware 
in honor of Lord de la WaiT, the discov- 



188 



HISTORY OF THE 



eier of the bay aud river vvbicli also bear 
his name. 

New Jersey. — All the land which now 
is included in New Jersey formed a part 




AN OLD DUTCH CITY IN AMERICA. 



of New Netherland in the original charter 
ceded to the Dutcli West India Company. 
In 1623 the Dutch built a log fort near 
Camden, and the same year four young 
couples, who had been married on ship- 
l)oard on their way to Amei'ica, made 



UNITED STATES. 139 



themselves a liome on the Delaware 
River, and so commenced the settlement 
of New Jersey. Some forty years later, 
when the English became possessors of 
New Netherland, the Duke of York gave 
to his two friends. Lord Berkeley and 
Sir George Carteret, all the land between 
the mouth of the Hudson and the Dela- 
ware. These men promised an unusual 
decrree of freedom to all who would settle 
here, and in consequence many people came 
to the territory. Among these were a num- 
ber of families from Long Island, who set- 
tled at Elizabethtown. The following year 
Philip Carteret was appointed governor, 
and a fair and liberal charter was given 
to the new colony. 



140 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER XV. 

THE CAROLINAS AND GEORGIA. 

King Charles IF. looked well to his 
possessions in America, though he had no 
idea of the powerful nation that would one 
day spring up from the colonies he planted 
along the coast. 

Sir Walter Raleigh, you wiJl remember, 
spent a large fortune in his vain efforts to 
found a permanent settlement in Virginia. 
Though he failed, others succeeded, and in 
1663, when Charles II. granted to eight of 
his courtiers the territory extending from 
Albemarle Sound to the St. John's River, 
and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, there 
were a number of thrivino; En2:lish settle- 
ments in that part of the colony now em- 
braced in Virginia, and a few in the new 
ceded territory. The following year Gov- 
ernor Buckley, of Virginia, established a 
government on the Chowan River, called 
the colony Albemarle, and appointed 
William Drummond governor. 

Another, called the Clarendon Colony, 



UNITED STATES. 141 

was established about the same time 
near the Cape Fear River. This was 
governed by Sir John Yeamans, and was 




THE HOME OF GEORGE WASHINGTON'S BOYHOOD, VIRGINIA. 

made up of New England men and a party 
of settlers from the Barbadoes, The pro- 
prietors were very anxious that their new 
possessions should bring them in a good 
income. So in 16V0 they sent over still 



142 HISTORY OF THE 

another colony, that settled on the Ashley 
River. As others joined it, settlements 
were made further down the river, until at 
length the site of Charleston was reached. 
Here, in 1680, a town was formed which 
was called the Carteret Colony, and had a 
separate governor. 

Very soon, however, the Carteret and 
Clarendon colonies* were united, and in- 
creased very rapidly in size, notwithstand- 
ing the constant troubles with the Span- 
iards at St. Augustine, as well as with the 
Indians, who were frequently incited by 
the latter to attack the Carolinians. In 
the first quarter of the 18th century, the 
powerful tribes inhabiting this region were 
overcome; the Tuscaroras, seeking shelter 
in the north, joined the Five Nations ; and 
the Yamasses were driven into Florida. 

Of the thirteen ori2:inal colonies in 
America, Georgia was the latest settled. 
The Spaniards claimed the land as part 
of Florida, and the English disputed the 
claim. These differences led to unhappy 
troubles with the Indians, who were still 
its only occupants, and accounts of these 



UNITED STATES. 



143 



troubles were not long in reaching Eng- 
land. Now, if tlie English could send a 
colony to settle in the disputed territoiy, 
they might be able to hold the land, but 
no one cared to go. Those desiring to live 




INDIANS RIDING. 



in America preferred making their home in 
some place already settled. 

At this time there lived in England 
a philanthropist, James Oglethorpe by 
name, who was a member of Parliament, 
and in other ways a very important man. 
By the laws of the realm every year thou- 
sands of men, who for any reason were un- 
able to pay their debts, were thrown into 



144 HISTORY OF THE 

jail, and their families left in a desolate 
and starving condition. James Oglethorpe 
felt sorry for these unfortunate people, and 
set about devising in his mind some way 
by which they might be benefited. 

He brought the subject of their condi- 
tion before Parliament, and had himself 
appointed commissioner to look at the 
state of their homes and prisons, and re- 
port the results of his labors, and some 
means of relief. Then he appealed to 
George II., who was King of England, for 
a charter to the land between the Savan- 
nah and Altaiuaha Rivers, to be granted 
to a corporation for twenty-one years, the 
land to he lield in trust for the pom\ For 
the king's compliance to his request he 
called the place, which should have been 
named for himself, Georgia. 

His first act was to open the doors of 
the prisons ; but the men who had spent 
part of their life in jail felt that they 
were disgraced in the eyes of their neigh- 
bors. They were glad to seek a home be- 
yond the sea and commence life in the new 
land. In January, 1 733, Oglethorpe, with 



UNITED STATES. 



145 




INDIAN CHIEFS BHINfilNG PRESENTS TO OGLETDOKPE. 
10 



146 HISTORY OF THE 

one hundred and twenty immigrants, as- 
cended tlie Savannah River, and on Febi'u- 
ary 1, laid the fecundations of the city of 
Savannah at what the Indians called Yam- 
acraw Bluif. Streets were laid out, and 
in the place of houses new white tents 
v/ere dotted along them, under the dai'k 
pine-trees. 

Oglethorpe made friends with the In- 
dians, and the chiefs from all the tribes 
about him came and brought presents, 
begging in return his protection and love. 
One noted sachem came from the far-dis- 
tant mountains of Tennessee to confer with 
the noble and sweet-tempered English 
governor. 

Soon immigrants from other countries 
came to this happily governed land. Mo- 
ravians, who sjDent their time in cultivat- 
ino; the soil or teachina; the Indians of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and Scotchmen, whose 
thrift and bravery made them invaluable 
additions to the colony, settled on the 
rivers or the coast. Oglethoq^e welcomed 
them kindlv and made them feel at home 
in the new land. 



UNITED STATES. 147 



In 1736 the Moravian settlement was 
visited by two missionaries, John and 
Charles Wesley, these good men being 
greatly pleased with the simple form of 
worship practised by the devout people. 
This visit occurred a few years before 
John Wesley founded the religious sect 
known as the Methodists. 

After Wesley, George Whitefield, the 
great evangelist, came to Georgia. He felt 
so strong a love for the colony that he 
founded an orphan asylum at Savannah 
and supported it with the money he raised 
by preaching. 



148 HISTORY OF THE 



CHAPTER XVI. 

PENlSrSYLVAISriA. 

Eaely in tlie IVth century tliere lived 
in England a distinguished gentleman 
known as Admiral Penn. While a very 
young man he did his king great ser\nce 
in several naval battles, and was made 
captain before he was twenty. The king 
in return became very fond of the brave 
soldier and received him at court. After a 
while Admiral Penn married, and in time 
he had a son, ^vhom he named William. 
William Penn grew up with the other rich 
men's sons of the time, and when old 
enough was sent to Oxford. Here he 
first heard the great Quakei' preacher 
Thomas Loe preach the simple doctrine 
of the sect. The words of Loe had so 
great an effect upon young Penn that he 
was expelled from college for trying to put 
some of the newly acquired ideas into 
practice. 

The admiral was very angry with his 
son for taking sides with these peculiar 



UNITED STATES. 149 

and despised people, and quite mortified 
at his being expelled from Oxford. So 




WILLIAM PENN. 



he sent him to France, to the court of 
Louis XIV., to finish his education, hoping 
he would there forget the teachings of 
the Quaker. 



150 HISTORY OF THE 

111 1664, wlieii Peiin was twenty years 
old, he returned to England, and was pre- 
sented at tlie court of Charles II. He 
was now as light and fashionable as his 
father could desii'e, and at once set him- 
self to studying law. But the next year a 
dreadful plague visited the land, and in 
London alone hundreds of people died, 
daily. Tlie gloom which this state of af- 
fairs cast over every one led William Penn 
to think once more of the teachings of the 
Quaker. 

At this time business led him to Ireland, 
and while there he again heard Thomas 
Loe preach. Then all his old religious 
fervor returned, and he decided to be a 
Quaker. 

Agaiil his father was very angry, and he 
tried every means in his power to dissuade 
him from his purpose. At last, however, 
seeing arguments w^ere vain, he said he 
would agree to let him have his way if he 
would take off his hat to the king, the 
king's brother tlje Duke of York, and to 
his own father. This would seem only a 
mark of respect to a young man of oiu* 



UNITED STATES. 



151 




152 HISTORY OF THE 

day, but William Perm looked at it in an- 
other light. He felt it was lessening one's 
reverence to the Creator to j)ay even this 
slight homage to his creatures, so he re- 
fused even this simple request. 

And now his days of quiet and light- 
hearted manhood were over. He was per- 
secuted like the others of his sect, and was 
several times thrust into prison. This so 
troubled the admiral that when he died 
a few years later he begged his friend, 
the Duke of York, to befriend his sou, 
who, he feared, would have a stormy 
life. 

Charles II. owed Admiral Penn a large 
sum of money, which now fell to his son. 
William Penn had long thought of found- 
ing a colony Avhere the Quakers could wor- 
ship as they chose, without danger of im- 
prisonment, and now he appealed to the 
kins: to let him have a orrant of land in 
America in payment for the debt. Charles 
IL was very glad to do this, for he had 
very little money, and owed a great many 
other debts, quite as large as this one. So 
he gave the desired grant, and called the 



UNITED STATES. 153 

region Pennsylvania, which means " Penn's 
AVoods," in lionor of the admiral. 

As soon as it was settled, Penn drew up 
a code of laws for the new colony, and 
sent over some colonists in 1681, who were 
to make preparations for himself and a 
larger number soon to follow. On a chart 
of the region he laid out a town, which he 
named Philadelphia, marking where the 
parks or open squares should be, and 
iiidicatins: the direction of the streets. 
When he sent this across to his assent in 
America, he stipulated that the houses 
should be some distance apart, so that each 
could have a grass 2:)lot and an orchard if 
desired, and plenty of sunshine and fresh 
air. He wished his city to be a healthful 
one, and took very good measures to make 
it so. 

The people who first came to Philadel- 
phia found no time to build houses that 
first year, so in the winter tliey dug caves in 
the high bluff that rose from the river, and 
lived very comfortably in them. Some of 
these caves were occupied for several years 
after most of the settlers were living: in 



154 HISTORY OF THE 

uice houses built in the town. In 1682 
Peun arrived with 2,000 immigrants. 

He bought the laud of the Indians, and 
in every respect " treated them as brethren 
and not as heathen." Soon after landing 
he made a treaty of peace mth them, 
which was never broken. 

The colony increased in size and wealth. 
After the death of Charles II., the admi- 
ral's friend, the Duke of York, became 
king of England, under the title of James 
II., and during his reign everything pros- 
pered in Pennsylvania. William Penn 
was seen much at court, where he had 
considerable influence, and the Quakers 
throughout the realm had a much easier 
time than they had ever known. But 
James II. had many enemies, and these nat- 
urally hated those whom he favored. After 
a while the royal house of the Stuarts 
was overthrown, and James II. was forced 
to seek safety in France with Louis XIV. 
Though there is hardly a sovereign men- 
tioned in history of whom it is possible to 
find less good to say than of James II. of 
England, yet the Quakers have just rea- 



UNITED STATES. 155 

sons for being grateful to lilm. He was 
good to William Penn, and through liim 
to tlie whole sect. • On the accession of 
William and Mary to the throne, Penn, 
who was in England, was prevented from 
returning to Pennsylvania. Dissensions 
arose among his colonists, and in 1693 the 
king appointed another governor over the 
province. 

At this time William Penn was sus- 
pected of plotting for the return of James, 
but as nothing could be proved against 
him, Lis rights as proprietor were restored 
to him the following year, and descended 
to his heirs imtil the Revolution. 



156 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER XVII. 

FRElSrCH SETTLEMENTS IN AMERICA. 

At an early date Jacques Cartier, a 
Frenchman, explored tlie St. Lawrence 
River and visited the Indians on its banks. 
In 1608 Quebec was founded by CLani- 
plain, and soon many French settlements 
were made in different parts of what is 
now Canada. The fur-trade with the In- 
dians drew many traders to these parts, 
and with them came a number of Roman 
Catholic priests, who travelled far into the 
wilderness to jDreach the Gospel to the In- 
dians. 

Montreal was made the seat of these 
missions, but some of the little forts built 
by the French priests extended into what 
is now Michigan and Illinois, and gradu- 
ally became permanent settlements, Sault 
de Ste. Marie, in Michigan, being founded 
in 1666. There were also French settle- 
ments at St. Joseph, Milwaukee, and Chi- 
cago before 1700. 

These zealous missionaries had no easy 



UNITED STATES. 



157 




158 HISTORY OF THE 

task ill their efforts to convert the savages 
of the Northwest, and not nnfrequently 
death or torture was the reward of their 
hardships. In the course of their journey- 
ings, two of these Jesuits, Fathers Mar- 
quette and Joliet, discovered the upper 
part of the Mississippi Kiver, the lower 
part of which De Soto had discovered a 
century before. 

The greatest of the French explorers 
was La Salle, who made friends with the 
Indians, and learning through them of a 
great river that stretched far away to the 
southj he made his way through the woods 
and at last discovered the Ohio, which he 
called La Belle Riviere, or the beautiful 
river, a name by which it was long known. 
The Indian name was Oyo. In 1682 he 
sailed down the Ohio until he came to the 
Mississippi, and thence to the Gulf of 
Mexico, claiming all the country lie passed 
through for the French, and naming the 
vast territoiy Louisiana, in honor of Louis 
XIV. After this La Salle went to France 
to obtain permission of the king to found 
a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi. 



UNITED STATES. 159 

But wlien lie returned he could uot find 
the mouth of the river, and suffering ship- 
wreck on the coast of Texas, he started to 
make his way overland to Canada. He 
had uot proceeded far before he was shot 
by one of his company. Only a few of the 
colony succeeded in reaching Canada. 

After the death of La Salle, Lemoine 
d'Iberville, having received a commission 
to colonize Louisiana, landed in the spring 
of 1699 at Ship Island, with a large num- 
ber of colonists. Some of these he left at 
the island, while a party sailed with him 
up the Mississippi and Red Rivers. He 
discovered two lakes, which he named 
after the distinguished Fi'ench ministers, 
Maurepas and Pontch art rain. 

In the 3'ear 1700 he built a fort at 
Natchez, which he called Fort Rosalie, 
and finding his first colony did not flour- 
ish, he removed it to Mobile, which became 
tlie first settlement in Alabama. 

Unlike the English, the French seemed 
to know how to make friends with the In- 
dians, and were always happy in their 
relations with them. Many of them mar- 



160 HISTORY OF THE 



ried Indian wives, and so became identified 
with the nation. 

AVhile England and France remained at 
peace with each other, their colonies in 
America were not actively hostile, though 
both laid claim to a large part of the coun- 
.try west of the Alleghanies. But when 
James 11. became hated by his subjects 
and was forced to flee from England, 
Louis XIV. of France took up his cause 
and made war with England, in the 
hopes of placing him upon his throne 
again. The people had invited William, 
Prince of Orange, and son-in-law to the 
dethroned king, to take the vacant place. 
So the war that followed, in 1689, was 
called King William's Wai\ It was the 
first of a long series of hostilities, which 
in the colonies of America led to 
deeds uf the most dreadful barbarity, 
and lasted with little interruption for 
nearly a century. Hence it is fre- 
quently spoken of as "The Hundi-ed 
Years' War." 



UNITED STATES. 



161 




FRENrH PRIEST ANI> INDIANS. 



11 



162 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE HUNDRED YEAES' WAR. 

The principal sufferers in the wars be- 
tween the French and English in America 
were the settlers upon the frontier, or near 
what is now the boundary line between 
the United States and Canada. As soon 
as Louis XIV. had declared war against 
King William III. of England, the French 
sought to excite their Indian allies against 
the English colonists. 

Early in 1690 the governor of New 
France sent out three expeditions, consist- 
ing of large parties of French and Indian 
warriors. One attacked the villao;e of 
Salmon Falls, in New Hampshire, which 
was nearly destroyed; and another fell 
upon a small settlement on Casco Bay. 
The third surprised Schenectady, a thriv- 
ing village near Albany, one savagely cold 
winter's night, arousing the people at mid- 
night by the terrifying war-whoop of the 
Indians. Some were killed in their beds, 
while others nished from their burning 



UNITED STATES. 



163 




164 HISTORY OF THE 

houses only to meet deatli in another 
form. 

A few fled into tlie forest in their night- 
clothes, but the larger part of those saved 
were taken captive, the town being re- 
duced to ashes. 

In this time of need the Eno-lish colo- 

o 

nists, receiving no help from the mother- 
country, decided to unite and oi'ganize 
plans for mutual protection and defence. 
Expeditions against Quebec and Montreal 
were undertaken, but proved failures. For 
seven long years King WiUiani^s War con 
tinned ; then a treaty of peace was signed 
at Kyswick, Holland ;' but unfortunately 
for America, the boundary-lines between 
the French and English possessions were 
not agreed upon. 

The next in order of these intercolonial 
wars was known as Queen jinne's War. 

Again the cause of the conflict origi- 
nated on the other side of the sen, but the 
American colonists were made to suffer 
severely in the contest. The pleasant lit- 
tle settlements which had sprung up in 
many parts of the countiy and had en- 



UNITED STATES. 165 

joyed peace and prosperity since Philij^'s 
death, were again filled with dread of the 
Indians. In 1704 Deerfield was laid low, 
and six years later a fleet, consisting of 
part English and part colonists, sailed out 
of Boston to Ciipture Port Royal, a French 
fort. The garrison surrendered after a 
short fight, and the English renamed the 
fort Annapolis, in honor of Queen Anne. 
In 1713 a fleet was prepared to invade 
Canada, but owing to various causes noth- 
ing came of it. That same year — April, 
1713 — a treaty of peace was signed at 
Utrecht, Holland, called the treaty of 
Utrecht. 

By this the French gave up T^ewfound- 
land and Acadia, now Nova Scotia, but 
retained Cape Breton Island, where they 
at once set about building a fort. This 
they named Louisburg. 

Now for thirty years the Americans en- 
joyed comparative tranquillity, though in 
Maine the troubles \Y\i\\ the Indians con- 
tinued. In 1744 came another wai* be- 
tween the English and French, known in 
America as King George's War, 



166 



HISTORY OF THE 



The French commenced hostilities in 
America by capturing Fort Canso, in 




MONTCALM. 



Nova Scotia, and driving away the fisher^ 
men on the Banks of Newfoundland ; but 
the chief event of the war was the capture 



UNITED STATES. 167 

of Louisburg by the English in 1 745. This 
was the fortress the French had built on 
the rocky little island of Cape Breton after 
the treaty of Utrecht, and, with the excep- 
tion of Quebec, was the most perfect 
stronghold in America. It not only com- 
manded the fisheries and entrance to the 
St. Lawrence, but was a source of constant 
anxiety to the settlers on the whole New 
England coast. So its capture was a mat- 
ter of the most vital importance to the 
English colonists, and they determined 
upon this as the object of their first cam- 
paign. The work was to be done by New 
England men^ though the Dutch of New 
York and New Jersey, and the Quakers of 
Pennsylvania, gave money for the entei-prise. 
Early in April a fleet bearing three 
thousand men sailed out of Boston, under 
the command of Sir William Pepperell, 
for Canso, where they were met by com- 
panics from Rhode Island, Connecticut, 
and New Hampshire. The walls of the 
fortress were thii'ty feet high, and forty 
feet thick, and Avere defended by two hun- 
dred and forty-three pieces of artillery. A 



168 HISTORY OF THE 

ditcli eighty feet wide surrounded these 
fortifications ; yet impregnable as this fort 
seemed to be, it surrendered to the English 
after a siege of six weeks, though its as- 
sailants had l^ut eighteen cannon and three 
mortars. 

The victors were received in Boston with 
transports of Joy, and the iron ci-oss, w^hich 
they brought with them from the chapel 
of the fort, was kept as a souvenir of the 
siege. It now stands above the entrance 
to the Harvard College library. 

In 1748 a treaty of peace was signed at 
Aix-la-Chapelle, and by it Louisburg was 
given back to the French. The people 
were very glad of the peace, which now" 
promised to give them a chance to think 
of their private affairs ; but they had 
scarcely begun to enjoy this respite from 
fighting when France and England be- 
came active enemies again. The quarrel 
this time was over the disputed claims to 
territory in America. 

For some time the English colonists felt 
the need of consolidation, and when the 
prospects of another war, having its chief 



UNITED STATES, 



169 




WILLIAM PITT, KARL OK CHATHAM. 



170 HISTORY OF THE 

seat in America, dawned upon them, they 
hastened to unite and take whatever de- 
fensiv^e measures they could. An assembly 
met at Albany to decide upon some plan 
of union, but none was agreed upon. The 
English were tired and discouraged, for it 
seemed to them that they were the constant 
losers in these strifes with the French. 
They had received very little help from 
the parent country, while the French were 
constantly encouraged both with men and 
money by their king. They were always 
actively employed, in times of peace as 
well ao in war, in building forts, and al- 
ready had a chain of sixty that stretched 
from Quebec to the Gulf of Mexico. 
The Indians, ever ready to fight, had 
great respect for men Avho ^ gave their 
whole attention to such wai'like prepara- 
tions, and would naturally be moi-e ready 
to espouse the cause of the French, for 
these if for no other reasons, than that of 
a people who seemed to take no fore- 
thoug^ht whatever on such matters. 

When this last war was impending, the 
French held, besides these sixty forts, 



UNITED STATES. 



171 




iJRADDOCK'S FORCES SUKPRI.SEU UV AN AMBUtfCADK. 



172 



HISTORY OF THE 



Louisburg, tlie whole ^^eninsula of Nova 
Scotia, small forts at Niagara, at Crown 
Point, on Lake Cliamplain, at Venango, 













MONUMENT TO WOLF. 



Presqiie Isle, and Le Boeiif. At the latter 
place tlie French commander was sta- 
tioned, and it was the long, perilous jour- 
ney from Virginia to this distant fort, in 



UNITED STATES. 173 

the depth of winter, that first brought 
George Washington into notice. Sent by 
Dinwidflie, the governor of Virginia, upon 
this important mission, young Washington, 
then but twenty-one, travelled through 
the unknown wilderness with but a few 
companions — an Indian interpreter, Chris- 
topher Gist, an intrepid pioneer, well ac- 
quainted with frontier life and Indian 
habits and character, and a few hardy 
frontiersmen. Forcing their way through 
the deep snow, and crossing rivers on 
great blocks of ice, they at last arrived at 
the French fort, and Washington delivered 
his message. Then commenced the long, 
weary Journey back, which was even more 
trying than the advance had been. But 
at last Washington reached Virginia in 
safety ; and though nothing was gained 
by the mission itself, he received his first 
lesson in the training that helped to make 
him a successful leader of men. 

It was no^v plain that the French would 
not give up the land west of the Alle- 
ghanies, and at Washington's suggestion 
the English decided to build a fort at the 



174 HISTORY OF THE 



confluence of the Alleghany and Monou- 
gahela Rivers. 

Work was hardly begun upon it before 
the French appeared upon the scene, drove 
the workmen away, raid finished the fort 
for themselves. They called it Fort Du 
Quesne. 

Early in the spring Washington, with a 
regiment of brave men, was sent to garri- 
son the fort, but they learned before reach- 
ing their destination that it had fallen into 
the hands of the French. Soon after this 
he fell in with a French scouting-party, and 
killed or made prisoners of nearly every 
one. Later he learned a large number of 
French and Indians were on their Avay to 
meet him, so he halted where he was and 
threw up a slight intrenchment, calling it 
Fort Necessity. 

Here, on July 3, a battle occurred, in 
which, though by force of number Wash- 
ington was obliged to surrender the fort, 
he was allowed to leave with all the hon- 
ors of war. 

At the commencement of 1755 the 
French held full possession of the Ohio 



UNITED STATES. 



175 




'176 HISTORY OF THE 

Valley. England now sent General Brad- 
dock to America to conduct the war, and 
the colonists were cheered by the appear- 
ance of the warlike soldiers. Only Wash- 
ington and a fev/ of those who had seen 
fighting on the frontier looked with dis- 
may upon tho preparations which General 
Braddock made to recapture Fort Du 
Quesne. In vain the young Virginian 
urged him to give up his fine carriages, in 
which he intended to ride through the 
wilderness and "aw^e the simple natives." 
He was only displeased with Washington 
for daring to advise a British general — 
Captain Gates and his fellow-officers would 
certainly never think of doing such a 
thing — and went on following his own 
ideas. 

The result was, his grand carriages were 
often stuck in the mud of the swami^s, and 
the bright uniforms of his soldiers made 
fine targets for the Indian arrows. After 
a long and toilsome Journey, and when 
within a few miles of the fort, Washing- 
ton once more interposed, urging the gen- 
eral to allow the American forces to take 



UNITED ."STATES. 



Ill 




\VASIllN(iT()N l'r,AN"r[N(; rilK HUniSil lM,A(i at KoUT DI' ^iri-'.-XE. 



178 HISTORY OF THE 

the advance and adopt the Indian method 
of fighting. Again Braddock was angry 
and refused his advice. Thouo:h a brave 
man, he would not believe that any enemy 
could long resist the brave and disciplined 
fighting of Lis regulars. So while the colo- 
nists, with Washington at their head, trem- 
bled at the result of the encounter, Brad- 
dock advanced through the Pennsylvania 
woods with 1,200 men in brilliant uniforms 
and flashing arms, "with colors flying and 
drums beating, and in the same perfect 
order that he would have preserved on a 
gala day in a city street. 

As Washington predicted, suddenly 
these fine-looking troops found themselves 
surrounded by French and Indian war- 
riors, concealed behind every rock and 
tree. The English soldiers were demor- 
alized, and knew not which way to turn. 
Washington once more urged the general 
to let the men protect themselves aud fight 
from behind trees as the Indians did. 
But Braddock must follow the military 
tactics he had learned from his books; so 
lie compelled his men to form lines of 



UNITED STATES. 173 

battle, and iu lines tliey were shot down. 
Braddock himself was slain, and over 
half the brave men who accompanied him 
fell in the battle. 

After this the attacks of the Indians in 
this section increased in all directions, and 
no one felt safe. At this time Washing- 
ton wiote that the " supplicating tears of 
women and the moving petitions of the 
men melted him with deadly sorrow." 
One after another of the English forts 
were given np to the French, until the 
colonists began to fear that America w^ould 
eventually be a French nation. Then the 
great Sir William Pitt became prime min- 
ister of England, and a new day dawned 
for the English in America. Through hi;} 
influence men, uniforms, and arms were 
soon raised, and a better military disci- 
pline exercised over the troops. Soon 
Bradstreet took Fort Frontenac, and Pri- 
deaux took Niagara, Crown Point, and 
Louisburg. Ticonderoga was attacked by 
the English under General Abercrombie in 
the summer of 1^58. Young Lord Howe, 
a great favorite in the army, was killed, 



180 HISTORY OF THE 

and the Englisli repulsed, but later it fell 
into Englisli hands. That same fall Gen- 
eral Forbes, who was in command of the 
Army of the West, after a long and tire- 
some march, came within a few miles of 
Fort Du Qiiesne. Hearing that the fort 
contained but a small force, he sent Wash- 
ington forward to make an attack upon it. 
The French, unable to defend it, set the 
fort on fire when they saw the English, and 
taking to their boats, started down the 
Ohio. Washington's men put out the fire, 
planted the English flag above it, and re- 
named the place Fort Pitt. Pittsburgh 
now occupies the site of this old fortress. 

It is natural to man, encouraged by 
present successes, to be desirous of other 
and greater ones, and this proved ti'ue of 
the great Pitt. Finding that the French 
were weaker than he had supposed, he 
decided to invade Canada, though the ob- 
ject of the war had been only to secure 
that part of the disj)uted territory actually 
claimed or occupied by the English colo- 
nists. Quebec was taken in 1759. The 
two great generals, Wolf, the English, and 



UNITED STATES. 



181 




182 



HISTORY OF THE 



Montcalm, the French, fell in the battle, 
and a fine monument erected to the mem- 
ory of both occupies a prominent position 
in Quebec. 

The night before the battle, as the 



i'-i^^A-^ !i"'i 







THE REVELATION' OF POXTIAC'S CONSPIRACY. 

English army approached down the river, 
gliding silently along under the calm, stai- 
lit heavens, Wolf softly repeated Gray's 
"Elegy in a Country Churchyard," saying 
quietly as he concluded : " I would prefer 
being the author of that poem to the glory 
of beating the French to-morrow." 

In 1760 General Amherst embarked at 
Oswego for Montreal, Murray advanced 



UNITED STATES. 183 

from Quebec, and Haviland by way of 
Lake Cliamplain, witli some eighteen thou- 
sand men. The French governor capitu- 
lated,, giving up not only Montreal, but 
Presque Isle, Detroit, Mackinaw, and all 
the French posts in Western Canada. Then 
the French troops, numbering some four 
thousand men, were sent back to France. 
So ended the French power in America. 

The Indians, though greatly disheart- 
ened by the overthrow of their strong ally, 
made one last effort to I'egain the land of 
their fathers. Pontiac, the chief of the 
Ottawas, formed a conspiracy to murder or 
drive from the country west of the Alle- 
ghanies all the English colonists. The 
other tribes were in league with him, and 
in June, 1763, all the English trading-posts 
west of Oswego, excepting Niagara, Fort 
Pitt, and Detroit, fell into Indian hands. 
The latter place being considered the most 
difficult to take, Pontiac reserved it for 
himself. Success mio^ht have crowned his 
well-digested plans had it not been for the 
gratitude of a young Indian girl. The 
English had been kind to her, and in re- 



184 HISTORY OF THE 

turn she told Major Glad wyn, the comman- 
dant of the post, of the plot the Indians 
were about to carry out. When on the 
following day the attack was made as had 
been arranged, the Indians found the weak 
points guarded, and after a long fight were 
forced to surrender or flee. With the 
failure of Pontiac's conspiracy the Hundred 
Years' War was at an end. 



UNITED STATES. 185 

CHAPTER XIX. 

CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. 

The "War of the Revolution," which 
ended in the independence of the English 
colonies in America and the bii-th of the 
United States, actively began in April, 
1775. For years the clouds of English op- 
pression hung over the land, and the war 
destined to come was neither unexpected 
nor undesired. 

"Taxation without representation," the 
commonly accepted cause of the war, 
could not longer be borne by these long- 
suffering people. While the laws of the 
king regarding his subjects in America 
were Just and good the colonies were will- 
ing to obey them, for their grandparents 
came from England, and a fondness for the 
mother-country still clung to these their 
descendants. But the king had very little 
love for them, and many of the English 
people were jealous of their cousins across 
the sea. The little colonies planted here 
and there along the Atlantic coast had 



186 HISTORY OF THE 

grown, until now more than three millions 
of people occupied this land. There were 
rich and thriving towns in each colony, 
and many learned men well able to govern 
the land. 

But America was treated quite as if she 
was still an infant colony and did not 
know her rights. Taxes were demanded 
for a great many things that it was neither 
right nor Just to tax, and the Americans 
were forced to ])uy certain goods, and 
pay taxes upon them, that they would 
gladly have made in this country had they 
been allow^ed to do so. About the year 
1 745 the colonists, finding the duties upon 
pig iron so heavy they could aiford to 
use but little, commenced to manufac- 
ture it themselves ; but very soon the 
English heard of and prohibited these 
manufactures, styling them all "nuis- 
ances." 

Though the French and Indian War 
had given excellent training to American 
officers and soldiers, and had gained for 
England a vast territory, it had left her 
heavily in debt, and, as in all instances 



UNITED STATES. 



187 




^ — 

COLON KI, BARRE. 



188 HISTORY OF THE 

when money was to be raised, the king 
looked .to America for help. 

A very unjust measure, termed Internal 
Taxation, was adopted by the king, not- 
withstanding the strong opposition of 
William Pitt and many other members of 
the English House of Commons. A great 
many powerful speeches were made at the 
time, among which was a famous one by 
Colonel Barre, an Irish member, parts of 
which have been handed down to us. In 
reply to some one who had pompously as- 
serted that America was the outgrowth of 
British care and protection, he thimdered 
out : " They planted by your care ? No ; 
your oppressions planted them in Amer- 
ica. They nourished by your indulgence? 
They grew by your neglect of them. 
They protected by your arms ? They 
have nobly taken up arms in your de- 
fence." 

In March, 1765, Parliament, in opposi- 
tion to the counsels of Pitt, passed the ill- 
fated Stamp Act. At this time Benjamin 
Franklin, who was. in Europe, wrote to a 
friend at home : " The sun of American 



UNITED STATES. 189 

liberty has set ; now we must light the 
torches of industry and economy." In re- 
ply, his friend wrote back: "Be assured 
that we shall light torches of another sort." 
The provisions of the Stamp Act were 
simply that all legal and other documents 
required in the colonies should be written 
on a certain kind of stamped paper, which 
would be sold by officers appointed for 
the purpose. AYhen news of the act 
reached America it met with indignation 
everywhere, though very little was said 
openly concerning it, the silence which 
was 2>reserved in Massachusetts quite en- 
couraging the lieutenant-governor, who 
mistook it for signs of submission. 

In Boston and Philadelphia the bells 
were tolled, and in New York a copy of 
the hated Stamp Act, with a death's-head 
painted above it, and this inscription 
painted in large letters : '• The Folly of 
England and the Ruin of America," was 
carried through the streets at the top of 
a long pole. Bands of patriots, calling 
themselves ^^ Sons of Liberty^'' were to 
be found everywhere. People at last be- 



190 



HISTORY OF THE 



gan to talk, and so great was the resent- 
ment that when the time came for the law 




LORD NORTH. 



to go into effect no one was found willing 
to sell the iDaper. In March, l7r)6, Parlia- 
ment repealed the Stamp Act. 

A few months after this, while Mr. Pitt, 



UNITED STATES. 191 



now Earl of Chatham, was ill and confined 
in his house, Parliament passed another 
bill taxing the colonies. By this a heavy 
duty ^va3 imposed upon glass, paper, paint- 
ers' colors, and tea brought into America. 
These articles were chosen because the 
English thought Americans could never 
get along without them, but they were mis- 
taken. A quiet system of resistance was 
agreed upon, and people declared them- 
selves ^villing to endure any sacrifices 
rather than import the tax^d articles. The 
Assembly of Massachusetts sent a letter 
to Parliament denouncing its course as un- 
just ; at the same time it urged, by means 
of printed circulars, the cooperation of the 
other colonies in defending their rights. 

The king was very angry when he heard 
of this insubordination of his subjects across 
the sea, and sent some soldiers to Boston to 
keep the Massachusetts people in order. 
He had made a law that the colonies must 
quarter the troops sent there, but Boston 
people refused to shelter these, and Gen- 
eral Gage was compelled to hire lodgings 
for them. The soldiers occupied tents on 



192 HISTORY OF THE 

the Common, the State House, and Faneail 
Hall, and made themselves as disagreeable 
as possible. In March, 1770, an affray 
took place in one of the streets between 
the soldiers and populace, in whicli three of 
the latter were killed and eight wounded. 

The East India Company, which had 
been nearly ruined by tlie non-importation 
attitude taken by America, as well as many 
other great merchants in England, were 
quite as much opposed to these duties as 
the Americans. So at last Parliament de- 
cided to repeal them. In that body was a 
certain Lord North, a most amiable man, 
but a very j^oor minister, whose folly at 
this time was one of the immediate causes 
of the war. He boasted that since he 
had had a seat there he had always voted 
against all popular and in favor of all un- 
popular measures ; so now he urged that 
as the king had a right to tax the colonists, 
it would be well to keep this fact before 
them by retaining a small tax on tea. 

For some years smuggling had been prac- 
tised in all parts of the country to evade 
the high duties, and British ships with 



UNITED STATES. 193 

officers on board to prevent this were sta- 
tioned all along tlie coast. Such a vessel, 
named the Gaspee, was burned in 1772, 
just below Providence, by a party of 
patriots who rowed down from that city, 
one dark night, for the purpose. 

Ship-loads of tea were brought to the 
large American cities along the coast, and 
as by some agreement with the govern- 
ment the owners were able to sell the tea 
at a lower price per pound than it could 
be bought in England, King George III. 
thought his subjects would overlook the 
tax. On November 17, 1773, the first 
tea-ship came into Boston Harbor, but the 
citizens would have nothing to do with its 
contents and demanded that it should go 
back to England. Governor Hutchinson, 
who was in league with the king, refused 
to let it depart, knowing that after it had 
been in port a month he could land the 
cargo by force and compel the patriots to 
pay duty. On December 16, the night 
before the time had expired, a party of 
Boston men, disguised as Indians, boarded 
the ships, broke open every chest of 

13 



194 HISTORY OF THE 

tea, and poured its contents into tlie 
water. 

As one might suppose, Boston had to 
suffer for this high-handed act, but she 
bore bravely the severe measures taken 
against her. 

On September 5, 1774, fifty-three dele- 
gates, from all the colonies except Georgia, 
met at Carpenters' Hall, in Philadelphia, 
for the purpose of uniting forces and form- 
ing some plan of defence. This is called 
the First Continental Congress. During 
that same year a Provincial Congress, vsdth 
John Hancock as president, met at Cam- 
bridge. Various measures of safety were 
taken, and men all over the colony were 
warned to take up arms in defence of their 
rights, and be ready to march at a min- 
ute's warning. The members of this 
strange militia were called Minute-men. 



UNITED STATES. 



105 




196 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER XX. 

COMMENCEMENT OF THE KEVOLUTION. 

On tlie uight of the 18tli of April, 1775, 
General Gage sent 800 men to destroy 
some stores tlae Americans had collected 
at Concord. Though it was done v^ery 
quietly, the patriots were on tlie watch, 
and a signaldight shining from the steeple 
of the North Meeting-house told a silent 
watcher on the other side of the river that 
the troops were in motion. This watcher 
was Paul Kevere, whose name is always 
remembered in connection ^v\i\\ his famous 
ride that cloudy April niglit. Onward he 
galloped from town to town, arousing the 
inmates of every house. At Lexington he 
warned Hancock and Adams, but just 
aftei' leaving the place he was taken by 
a party of British soldiers. Even then he 
found a chance to comnumicate his news 
to a friend, who carried it on to Con- 
cord. 

On the follovnng morning, just before 
sunrise, the British under Major Pitcairn 



UNITED STATES. 



197 



''■ — S: ^eSeS'.Sivg.S^^S^^S^^^^^S^ 








"^^ ^^^m- 








V -;S^^-:-' , ~-. 


-- 




'-■ ^-v-; 




PURSUIT OF PAUL REVBKE. 



198 HISTORY OF THE 

came upon a small band of patriots drawn 
up on the village green at Lexington. 
Major Pitcairn called tliem rebels and 
commanded them to disperse, but the 
minute-men stood firm. Then he dis- 
charged his pistol and his men fired into 
the ranks. A number of the Americans 
fell; the others gave way. Elated with 
their success, the British pushed forward 
to Concord, where some held the bridge 
at the entrance of the town, while others 
hunted for the stores and ammunition 
without resistance. 

Meanwhile the minute-men had been 
gathering from all parts of the country 
about, and after a slight skirmish at the 
bridge, the Biitish were glad to commence 
their homeward march, which was ren- 
dered much more lively than the other 
had been by a constant rain of bullets 
from behind the trees, rocks, and fences 
that lined the road. 

The news of the battle of Lexington 
spread quickly and everywhere was a sig- 
nal for war. The merchant left his store, 
the mechanic his shop, and the farmer his 



UNITED STATES. 199 

plough in the field, and each girding on 
his sword, or shouldering his gun, joined 
the infant army. 

Mothers sent their sons, fitting them 
out with the most convenient articles at 
hand. Dresses and Hannel skirts were cut 
up for cartridges, and one woman made 
slugs out of her pewter spoons for her 
eldest son to use. Another patriotic 
mother, having neither sword nor gun to 
give, sent her only son to battle, saying, 
as the bitter tears rained down her cheeks : 
"Go, my child, and beg or borrow a 
sword ; perchance later you may find 
one. Some coward will no doubt turn 
and ran ; in that case, take his gun and 
help to save your country." 

The British at this time held both Ti- 
conderoga and Crown Point, the two most 
important posts on the natural highway to 
Canada. The Americans at once saw the 
importance of commanding this highway, 
and Ethan Allen, with a company of brave 
Vermont men, who called themselves 
Green Mountain Boys, undertook to cap- 
ture these forts. 



200 HISTORY OF THE 

While tlie troops were hidden on the 
other side of the lake, one of the men 
visited the fort in the guise of a half- 
witted country lad who wanted to be 
shaved. The English, after having con- 
siderable fun at his expense, let him go, 
little dreaming that he was a spy. As 
night came on the troops commenced 
crossing, but they had only a few boats, 
and when morning dawned on May 10, 
1775, many of them were yet to come. 
But the brave Ethan Allen, not daring to 
longer delay, led his men up to the fort. 
The sentinel fired upon them and then 
rushed into the fort, closely followed by 
the patriots. The frightened soldiers were 
made prisoners as they jumped from their 
beds. As the commanding officer rushed 
upon the scene, he too was called upon to 
surrender. "By what authority do you 
coQimand it?" he asked. "In the name 
of the great Jehovah and the Continental 
Congress," Allen replied. The capture 
of this fort, with its stores and ammu- 
nition, was a very encouraging surprise to 
the patriots in other parts of the land. 



UNITED STATES. 



201 







202 HISTORY OF THE 

On the very day that Ethan Allen took 
Ticonderoga, the Second Continental Con- 
gress met, and measures were taken to 
organize a Continental army, with George 
Wasliington its commander-in-chief. 

The patriots, learning that General Gage 
was preparing to occupy the peninsula of 
Charlestown, which would command Bos- 
ton, decided to stop him. So on the 
evening of June 16 Colonel Prescott, with 
1,000 men, started to fortify Bunker Hill. 
Through mistake the soldiers fortified 
Breed's Hill instead. It was midnight 
before the ground was broken, but every 
man worked with a will, though they 
were obliged to preserve perfect silence 
all the while, for the British were very 
near and the night unusually still. As 
the earth was thrown up they could occa- 
sionally hear the sentinel's cry of "All's 
well," over in Boston. In the morning 
the British ofiicers were greatly astonished 
to see the strong breastworks that had 
sprung up like mushrooms in the night. 

The British ships in the harbor were 
ordered to open fire upon the redoubt, 



UNITED STATES. 



203 




DKATH OF MAJOR PITCAIRN. 



204 HISTORY OF THE 

and troops were charged to climb the 
hill. The Americans had only a small 
amount of powder, so they were ordered 
to wait till they saw the whites of the 
enemies' eyes before they fired, and then 
to aim low. Twice the enemy was driven 
back, but fresh troops were brought up. 
At last the Americans' powder gave out, 
and they were forced to retreat. 

In this battle General Warren, a distin- 
guished patriot, fell, and Major Pitcairn, 
an English officer who had been uiuisually 
just in his dealings with the Americans, 
was killed while climbing the redoubt. 

General Putnam fought here too, though 
now nearly sixty years old; he was as 
brave as in the old French and Indian 
days. 

The patriots were cheered by this bat- 
tle, though they lost the field, and at once 
commenced to build a new line of en- 
trenchments on Prospect Hill, which still 
stand. 

About two weeks after the battle of 
Bunker Hill Washington came to Cam- 
bridge and took command of the army. 



UNITED STATES. 



205 




i^^0^2^. ^^r^^^rt!^^ 



206 HISTORY OF THE 

He found the array lacking everytliiug in 
the way of arms and ammunition, while 
most of the men still wore the clothes 
they had on when hastily called from 
their homes. He commenced at once to 
re-organize and equip his troops, keeping 
at the same time a strict eye upon Boston, 
where the British were shut in. 

Though the brave Ethan Allen and all 
his men were taken prisoners while at- 
tempting to storm Montreal, General 
Montgomery, at the head of a large force, 
soon after took St. Johns and then Mon- 
treal, hoping, with the help of fresh troops, 
sent forward under Benedict Arnold, soon 
to take Quebec, and so secure the large 
amount of stores deposited there. This 
heroic band, however, were so nearly ex- 
hausted by their long march through the 
pathless forests of Northern Maine, where 
they had nearly perished for want of food, 
that they were scarcely fit to storm a 
fortress like Quebec. On December 30, 
1775, in spite of a blinding storm of sleet 
and snow, Montgomery and Arnold ad- 
vanced from different points, and the lit- 



UNITED STATKS. 207 



tie army of 900 men fought bravely. But 
it was all in vain. Both leaders were 
shot down, thougli Arnold recovered from 
his wounds. At last, hearing powerful 
British reenforcements wei-e on their vvay, 
the Americans retreated, and soon all Can- 
ada fell into the hands of the British again. 



208 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER XXI. 

THE MEMOEABLE YEAE, 1776. 

Ktjstg Geoege III. had thought it would 
be a very easy thing to whip his subjects 
into subjection, but by this time he was 
finding out his mistake. He had even 
discovered that English soldiers did not 
care to fight such stern, determined men 
as made up the American army, so he was 
forced to hire Grerman soldiers, called Hes- 
sians, to do his fio-htino- for him. 

Early in 1776 Washington decided to 
attack the British in Boston. Though the 
ground was frozen and the weather cold, a 
body of men threw up a line of entrench- 
ments on Dorchester Heights in a single 
night, as had been done once before in 
that vicinity. The next morning General 
Howe, who had superseded Gage, was 
taken entirely by surprise, but a heavy 
storm prevented him from dislodging the 
enemy just then, and gave the Americans 
time to strengthen their forces. After- 
wards confessing himself out-generaled, he 



UNITED STATES. 



209 




KINO GEORGE III. 



14 



210 HISTORY OF THE 

prepared to leave Boston. When lie first 
saw the breastworks it is said he exclaimed : 
"The rebels have done more in one night 
than my whole army would have done in 
a month." On March 1 7, to the great de- 
light of most Boston people, the British 
army left the city for Halifax. 

While this was going on at the North, 
the men in the South were not idle. In 
several places forts were thrown up and 
preparations made to withstand the enemy. 
One of the most important of these forts 
was on Sullivan's Island, which com- 
manded Charleston Harbor. On June 28, 
the British, under Sir Henry Clinton, 
began to cannonade this fort, which, for- 
tunately, was made of palmetto logs of so 
spongy a texture that the balls did but 
little damage. Colonel Moultrie returned 
the fire with good effect, and the British 
ships were, after a while, driven off. 

Up to this time the Americans had 
hoped King George III. would give up 
his unjust claims. Had he done so the 
colonists would no doubt have laid down 
their arms and become loyal subjects 



UNITED STATES. 



211 




SIK IlKMtV CMNTON. 



212 HISTORY OF THE 

again. But lie only laughed at their de- 
mands, and treating them like naughty 
children, sent forth armies to punish them. 
This was too much for even those who had 
an attachment for the mother-country, and 
Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, without 
doubt expressed the sentiments of every 
patriot in the following resolution that he 
offered in Congress on Jure 7, 1776 : 

"That these united colonies are, and of 
right ought to be, free and independent 
States; that they are absolved from all 
allegiance to the British crown ; and that 
all political connection between them and 
the State of Great Britain is, and ought 
to be, totally dissolved." On July 2 this 
resolution was passed. 

While it was being debated, Thomas 
Jefferson was preparing a draft of the 
Declaration of Independence, which was 
given to the country July 4, 1776. 

This declaration did not stop the war. 
America had by it only signified her de- 
termination to become an independent 
nation, but she must yet fight for her 
liberty. That France had no love for 



UNITED STATES. 



213 




TUE DECLARATION Ul-' IXUKl'ENDEN'CE HEAD TO TIIK ARMY. 



214 HISTORY OF THE 

England Congress well knew, so it was 
decided at this time to send Benjamin 
Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee as 
agents to obtain, if possible, private aid 
from that country. 

While these things were going on in 
Philadelphia, the seat of war was about 
New York. 

In June Washington had moved his 
troops to New York, to which place Gren- 
eral Howe soon followed him. Here also 
came his brother, Lord Howe, with fresh 
forces from England, which raised the 
British army to twenty-iive thousand men. 
At last King George had discovered that 
these American subjects of his were a very 
determined and obstinate set, so he decided 
to deal with them more leniently. Lord 
Howe brought the proposed terms of peace. 
They had only to lay down their arms and 
become his loyal subjects again and he 
would forgive them, as a father does his 
naughty children. 

But these proposals came too late ; the 
Declaration of Independence had made its 
magic influence felt through the land, and 



UNITED STATES. 



215 




216 HISTORY OF THE 

America was determined to be free. Lord 
Howe's proposals were rejected with scorn. 
God would give victory to the deserv- 
insT. 

All this great army was encamped on 
Staten Island, in plain view of the Amer- 
ican troops at ISTew York, while the bay 
was filled with British war- vessels. 

Washington at once sent a strong force 
under General Putnam to fortify Brooklyn 
Heights, though he could see little chance 
for hope in the presence of so mighty a foe. 
Watching closely every movement in the 
British camp, he saw at last the time that 
he dreaded was near at hand. The British 
had entered their ships and were making 
for Brooklyn. 

Putnam at once moved his troops to 
meet them. His right wing seemed to be 
the main point of attack, and in order to 
resist the pressure brought to bear here he 
was forced to mthdraw troops from other 
parts of his line. While thus engaged a 
detachment of the enemy had succeeded 
in establishing itself between the Ameri- 
cans and their breastworks, and now com- 



UNITED STATES. 



217 




LOAD CORN W ALUS. 



218 HISTORY OF THE 

menced a vigorous attack in their rear. 
The Americans fought bravely, and at 
last broke through the enemy's line and 
reached their fortifications, but their loss 
of men was heavy. 

Lord Howe might now have destroyed 
the American army and crushed out our 
liberty at its very birth, but he felt the 
enemy was his, and wishing to spare un- 
necessary bloodshed, he decided to reduce 
the enemy by a regular siege. So he 
advanced to within a short distance of the 
fort and anchored his vessels there. 

Washington's only hope now was to get 
his troops safely away, quickly as he could. 
Choosing a dark, foggy night, he had his 
whole army, with their provision and cloth- 
ing, carried across the East River to New 
York before Lord Howe suspected his 
design. 

This was indeed a sad time for the 
brave commander. Many of his men were 
ill, and nearly all were more or less dis- 
couraged by the defeat on Long Island. 
He saw he could not withstand the force 
that he daily expected to attack New York, 



UNITED STATES. 



219 




220 HISTORY OF THE 

so lie retreated northward to Harlem 
Heights, and then crossing the Hudson, 
entered New Jersey. He left, however, 
nearly three thousand of his bravest men 
to defend Fort Washington, which was at 
once attacked and forced to surrender. 
This was another heavy blow to the 
Americans, and Washington is said to 
have wept as he looked across the river 
and saw his noble men falling like autumn 
leaves. 

The British now had possession of New 
York and held it until the end of the war. 
Two days after the surrender of Fort 
Washington, the British, under Cornwal- 
lis, crossed the Hudson and advanced 
toward Fort Lee. Washington at once 
withdrew his forces across the Hacken- 
sack, but not having time to remove his 
stores and baggage, they fell into the 
hands of the enemy. 

Now came a chase across the country — 
Washington retreating through Newark, 
Elizabeth, New Brunswick, Princeton, to 
Trenton, and the enemy all the time close 
in the rear. In the early part of Decem- 



UNITED STATES. 



221 




222 HISTORY OF THE 

ber Washington reached the Delaware and 
crossed it, being careful to burn every 
boat for miles up and down the river 
after his troops were safely over. The 
British were now forced to wait on the 
other side until they could build boats, or 
for the river to freeze over. The British 
were now stationed along the east side of 
the Delaware and the Americans on the 
west, but Washington foresaw that Corn- 
wallis was only waiting for the river to 
freeze to march his troops on to Philadel- 
phia, then the capital of the country. 

At Trenton, a village ten miles fi'om 
Philadelphia, was a detachment of two 
thousand or more Hessians. Washington, 
knowing their manner of keeping Christ- 
mas, prepared to surprise the garrison on 
Christmas night. Heavy clouds made the 
darkness intense and the weather was so 
bitterly cold that two of the soldiers were 
frozen to death. Tracks of blood were 
left on the hard-frozen snow from the bare 
feet of the patriots, but they never mur- 
mured. At last, just before daybreak, 
they burst in upon the unsuspecting Hes- 



UNITED STATES. 223 

sians, who were most of them quite drunk, 
and ill-prej^ared to fight. At the first 
onset Colonel llahl was killed, and with 
the death of their commander the soldiers 
laid down their arms and begged for 
mercy. Three weeks later Washington 
fell upon some British regiments stopping 
at Princeton, and after a hard battle de- 
feated them, inflicting a heavy loss, while 
that on the American side was small. 
This was the commencement of 1777. 
For some time past public confidence in 
Washington had been somewhat shaken, 
but now it was fully restored. These 
successes had also raised the spirits of 
the Americans, and they opened the cam- 
paign of 1777 with renewed courage and 
trust. 



224 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTER XXII. 

OPERATIONS OF '77 AND '78. 

Little by little the Americans gained 
ground in New Jersey, until the great 
British army was driven into New Bruns- 
wick and Araboy, on its way back to New 
York. Washington remained at Morris- 
town until May. 

On April 25, a detachment of British 
under General Tryon destroyed a large 
quantity of stores at Danbury, Conn., and 
burned the town. But they were over- 
taken on their return to their shij^s and 
badly whipped by the enraged patriots. 

At this time the British had possession 
of Newport and the island of Rhode 
Island, but their presence was not at all 
agreeable to the patriots near by. On 
July 10, the brave and daring Col. 
William Barton, with forty volunteers, 
started down the bay from Providence 
for the purpose of capturing General Pres- 
cott, who, he had learned, had his head- 
quarters at a farm-house a little out of 



I 



UNITED STATES. 



225 



Newport. So successful was his plan, 
that the patriots had burst into the house, 
seized the astonished general in his bed, 




MARQUIS OF LAFAYETTE. 



hurried on part, of his clothes, and had 
him in their boat well away from shore, 
before the alarm which had been raised 
brought any to his rescue. Then the 
startled squad of cavalry who came tear- 
ing down to the water's edge could dis- 

15 



226 HISTORY OF THE 

_ _ , ^ 

charge their muskets at will across the 
quiet water without harm to any one. 

It is a general rule that people are more 
ready to help others when they see they 
are trying to help themselves, and this 
rule proved true with the patriots. As 
soon as the republicans in France saw 
that the Americans w^ere in earnest, men 
came from that country to assist them. 
Foremost amongst these was the brave 
Marquis de Lafayette, who fitted out a 
vessel at his own expense to take him to 
America. At the time, this brave young 
man, only nineteen years old, was serving 
in the French army. Though a nobleman 
of high rank, enjoying immense wealth and 
but recently married, he left all to help 
the cause of fi-eedom, and his presence 
gave encouragement to the Americans, for 
they felt him a visible proof of a sympathy 
across the sea. 

Early in the season it became the avowed 
object of Lord Howe to get possession of 
the Hudson River and so cut oif all com- 
munication by land between New England 
and the other States. In July he sent Gen- 



UNITED STATES. 



227 




GENERAL BURGOYNE. 



228 HISTORY OF THE 

eral Burgoyne with a large force of British 
and Indians to take Ticonderoga. The 
American commander, General St. Clair, 
hearing of his approach, and realizing he 
could not hold the fort against so many, at 
once evacuated it, sending his sick and 
stores further up the lake, while his army 
proceeded on foot. 

Burgoyne, after taking Ticonderoga, 
proceeded to Fort Ann, then Fort Ed- 
ward, the small American forces retreat- 
ing before him. At last he commenced 
his voyage of devastation down the Hud- 
son. General Schuyler, the commander of 
this division of the army, was forced to 
fall back to Saratoga, and then to Still- 
water, and finally stationed his troops on 
some islands near by. 

About this time the Tories, with their 
Indian allies, besieged Fort Schuyler; but 
upon the approach of a force of Amer- 
icans under Arnold a panic suddenly 
seized the savages, which soon spread to 
the whites, and the entire British force 
fled in confusion to Oswego. 

General Burgoyne about this time heard 



UNITED STATES. 



229 




h 



TUE CHARGE UF PULASKI, 



230 HISTORY OF THE 

that the Americans had a large supply of 
stores at Bennington, Vt., and as his own 
were falling short he decided to take them. 
For this purpose he sent a body of Hes- 
sians, who were surprised by the New 
Hampshire militia, led by Colonel Stark, 
and routed with heavy loss. This was 
indeed encouraging to the patriots, who 
had begun to fear that their cause was 
destined to defeat. Burgoyne was much 
perplexed by the turn of affairs. He had 
boasted he would eat his Christmas dinner 
in Albany, but now, added to this defeat, 
his Indian allies were deserting him, and 
many of his troops were ill or suffering for 
want of proper food. 

At this time, owing to some power he 
held with Congress, General Gates suc- 
ceeded in getting himself appointed as 
commander of the Northern Army, in 
place of Schuyler. In September the 
Americans moved up the Hudson to Be- 
mis' Heights, and here, on the 19th, a bat- 
tle was fought, at the end of which both 
parties claimed the victory. 

General Burgoyne fell back to his camp, 



UNITED STATES. 



231 




^^^Ch-**"^ (^Vu.,,^^ ^^^ <J^^^ 




232 



HISTORY OF THE 



determined to await the arrival of General 
Clinton's forces, wliich were to make tlieir 
way ujD the river to his assistance. But 




FRANKLIN S PRINTING-PRESS. 



no help appearinsr, and his army lessening 
day by day, while the Indians were flock- 
ing to the American standard, he grew 
desperate, and on October 7 fought a sec- 
ond battle of Saratoga, in which he was 



UNITED STATES. 233 

defeated witli heavy loss. Ten days after- 
ward Burgoyne, with his whole army, 
surrendered to General Gates, and the 
news of the event spread joy throughout 
the land. 

All this time the British had their eyes 




ADMIRAL HOPKINS. 

upon Philadelphia, and the Americans, 
knowing this, put obstructions in the river 
below the city to keep off the British ves- 
sels, while Washington with his army 
watched the approaches at the north. 
General Howe now embarked his army 
on his brother's ships, deciding to make 
the journey by water, and on August 25 
landed it at Elkton, where it at once be- 
gan its march toward the capital. 



234 HISTORY OF THE 

When Washington heard of this move- 
ment he immediately advanced to Phila- 
delphia. Passing that city, he took his 
position at Brandywine Creek, hoping to 
check the advance of the British. But 
the superiority in numbers of the latter 
enabled them to attack the Americans on 
all sides, and drive them from the field. 
Lafayette engaged in this battle and was 
severely wounded. Here, too, Count Pu- 
laski, a noble Pole, who had embraced the 
cause of liberty, did such brave service 
that Congress honored him with the rank 
of brigadier, and made him commander of 
the cavalry. 

On September 26, Philadelphia was en- 
tered by General Howe and a part of his 
troops, the main division being at German- 
town. Congress now met first at Lancas- 
ter, then at York, where they continued 
to assemble until Philadelphia was evacu- 
ated the next summer. 

On October 3, the battle of German- 
town was fought, with great loss to both 
armies, after which Washington took up 
his headquarters at Whitemarsh, which he 



UNITED STATES. 



235 




236 HISTORY OF THE 

held until December 11, when he removed 
his araiy to Valley Forge. Here his men 
suffered intensely for food and clothing. 

Early in 1778 France acknowledged the 
independence of the United States, and 
sent over a fleet to assist them. 

For a whole year Benjamin Franklin 
had remained at Paris and Versailles, 
pleading the American cause with the 
French king, Louis XVI. At last, on 
February 6, 1778, the treaty was con- 
cluded. This famous man, whose dignity 
and learning, simple speech and graceful 
courtesy, won him the admiration of the 
French court, and made it possible for him 
to be the author of the first treaty be- 
tween the United States and a foreign 
nation, was a native of Boston and the 
son of a soap and candle maker. When 
a mere lad he ran away from his brother, 
to whom he was apprenticed to learn the 
printer's trade, and went to New York. 
Later he went to Philadelphia, which be- 
came his adopted home and the place of 
his burial. 

The American navy was very small 



UNITED STATES. 237 

at that time, though Congress had taken 
action on the subject of an armed marine 
force as early as 1775, when the construc- 
tion of twenty vessels had been ordered 
by that body. Esek Hopkins, of Rhode 
Island, was made first commander-in-chief 
of the navy in December of that year. 

When Clinton, who had superseded 
Howe at Philadelphia, heard that the 
French ships were coming, he at once 
evacuated that city and commenced a line 
of march across New Jersey, closely pur- 
sued by the patriots. At Monmouth a 
battle took place, on June 28, which 
lasted nearly all day, giving victory to 
the Americans. Clinton and his men 
that night, under cover of darkness, hur- 
ried to New York. 

And now those Americans who had 
befriended the British during their stay 
in Philadelphia had a hard time. The 
tables were turned and they were the 
suiferers. Amonsr these was a man named 
William Franklin, who was at once seized 
as a spy and carried to Connecticut, where 
he was thrown into prison, a fate which 



238 HISTORY OF THE 

lie justly merited, for be would not figlit 
for his country. 

When it was known that Philadel- 
phia had been evacuated, an unsuccess- 
ful attempt was made to take New- 
port away from the British. About the 
same time Colonel Clark, of Kentucky, 
led a company of backwoodsmen into 
Illinois, and took possession of her 
settlements in the name of the United 
States. 

At the end of the year the British held 
New York and Newf)ort, the former 
well surrounded by the Americans, whose 
line of winter quarters extended fi'om 
Danbury, Conn., through West Point, to 
Elizabeth, N. J. 



UNITED STATES. 239 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

END OF THE REVOLUTION. 

It now became plain to the British that 
their great and only chance of success lay 
in the South, and on December 29 they 
took Savannah. Soon after, Augusta and 
Sunbury fell into their hands. With these 
triumphs, early in May General Prevost 
tried to take Charleston, but owing to the 
activity of General Lincoln, he was forced 
to give up the attempt. The intense heat 
a few weeks later prevented active opera- 
tions of either army in the South until cool 
weather set in. 

But at the North the campaign was as 
vigorously conducted as ever. On May 6 
a small British fleet entered Hampton 
Roads and plundered and burned property 
on all sides ; then sailing northward, it 
Joined Clinton's fleet on the Hudson and 
assisted in the capture of Stony Point 
on May 30, and a fort nearly opposite on 
the following day. On July 4, General 
Tryon set sail for the Connecticut coast, 



240 HISTORY OF THE 



where during the week he plundered and 
burned New Haven, East Haven, Fairfield, 
and Norwalk. 

The Americans were much troubled by 
the loss of Stony Point, and at once de- 
termined to get it back again. On the 
night of July 16, General Wayne achieved 
one of the most brilliant victories of the 
war in its recapture. He surprised the 
enemy, and by a series of bayonet charges 
and hand-to-hand fights succeeded in tak- 
ing with it a large number of prisoners and 
a quantity of stores and ammunition, with 
only a small loss of men to the Americans. 
In October, 1779, the British abandoned 
Newport. Early in 1780 Sir Henry 
Clinton sailed south, intent upon taking 
Charleston, and on May 12, after suffer- 
ing the most terrible cannonading, the 
city capitulated. One after another of the 
strongholds of the South were taken by the 
British, until Comwallis began to feel that 
he could at least restore the southern paii; 
of the country to British rule. He hoped 
to add Virginia to the territory, and to ac- 
complish this started for Chesapeake Bay 



UNITED STATES. 



241 




242 HISTORY OF THE 

with his main army, leaving Major Fergu- 
son to gather recruits in the western part 
of Carolina, and join him at Charlotte. 

Soon after Ferguson was well under 
way a party of backwoodsmen from 
Kentucky went in pursuit of him. They 
were sharpshooters, excellent riders, and 
well used to the countr}^ By the time 
Ferguson had reached King's Mountain 
he had gathered quite a recruit, and here, 
thinking himself safe, stopped to rest. 
But the Kentuckians were at his heels, 
and though his men numbered many times 
over those of the enemy, they were no 
match to the darino; hunters, who at last 
forced a surrender. The British loss was 
about eleven hundred men. The news of 
this defeat was quite disconcerting to 
Cornwallis, who had thought his course 
lay perfectly smooth and direct toward the 
attainment of his end. He hastened back 
to South Carolina, but a different spirit 
seemed to possess the people ; they were 
not as ready to submit now as when he 
left a short time before. 

In July the French fleet reached New- 



UNITED STATES. 



243 




244 HISTORY OF THE 

port, bringing Count de Rocliambeau witli I 
6,000 French troops to aid the Americans. 

France had already declared war with 
England, and in June, 1780, Spain fol- 
lowed her example. Both countries were 
glad of this opportunity of avenging them- 
selves, and both were interested in the in- 
fant country fighting so bravely for its lib- 
erty. So England had not only her pos- 
sessions in America to look after, but those 
scattered over various other parts of the 
world. In the north Paul Jones, a most 
daring leader, vdth three American ships, 
caused great havoc along the coast of 
Scotland, destroying the shipping and 
alarming the people ; while in the south 
Spain was trying to wrench Gibraltar from 
her grasp, and France was striving to gain 
possession of various ports along the Med- 
iterranean. 

Benedict Arnold, one of the most skilful 
as well as bravest of the patriot generals, 
whose services had been rewarded by Con- 
gress with the command of Philadelphia 
after its evacuation, was at this time com- 
mander of West Point. Smarting under 



UNITED STATES. 



245 







LAFAYETTE AND WASHINGTON. 



246 HISTORY OF THE 

a reprimand administered by Washington, 
lie determined upon a course of blackest 
infamy, in wliicli lie negotiated a suri'ender 
of the post with Clinton through Major 
Andre, the British adjutant-general, his 
price being about fifty thousand dollars 
and a commission of brigadier in the Brit- 
ish army. 

While Andre was waiting, the vessel 
that had brought him to the place of meet- 
ing had drifted down the river, and it was 
thought best that he should ride back to 
New York, some fifty miles away. So, dis- 
guising himself as best he could, he made 
his way through the American lines by 
means of the pass Arnold had given him. 
His danger he supposed was over, M^hen, 
upon crossing a small brook, three men 
jumped from behind some high bushes and 
ordered him to stand. One of these wear- 
ing the garb of a Eiritish soldier led him 
to believe he was among friends, so he at 
once told them he was a British ofiicer on 
a very important mission and must not be 
detained ; then he learned too late that they 
were Americans. The papers and plan of 



UNITED STATES. 



24tl 




LORD KAWDON, AFTERWARDS MARQUIS OF HASTINGS. 



248 HISTORY OF THE 

the fort that Arnold had given him were 
found in his boots, and for this the brave 
young man, who went upon the mission 
unwillingly and only in obedience to the 
command of a superior officer, was forced 
to give up his life. Clinton tried hard to 
save him, and Washington would have 
been glad to let him live, but the laws of 
war demanded that he should be hanged 
as a spy. 

Arnold, who justly deserved that fate, 
escaped. Reaching the British lines, he 
got his money and commission, and was 
employed during the remainder of the war 
in plundering and destroying towns along 
his native coast. 

Though Cornwallis still had a powerful 
force in the South, he found it impossible 
to suppress the patriots, for Morgan's 
sharpshooters, and a certain General 
Green, noted for his courage and clear- 
sighted wisdom, were constantly harass- 
ing him. Though they gained no decided 
victory, he felt his power was constantly 
lessening. Late in summer Washington 
and Rochambeau met at Hartford, and 



UNITED STATES. 



249 




250 HISTORY OF THE 

there decided upon a blow which they 
believed would break the jDower of the 
British and hasten the close of the war. 
In the early part of 1781 Cornwallis 
again turned his attention to Virginia, 
and Lord Kawdon was made commander 
of the British army in South Carolina. 
After making a few unsuccessful attempts 
to disperse the small Continental army 
under Lafayette, Cornwallis moved all his 
forces to the York peninsula, which he at 
once began to fortify for his headquarters. 
He had remained here for so long a time 
undisturbed, and Washington and the 
French commander had planned their 
movements so quietly, that the British 
general had no suspicion of his danger 
until he saw the French fleet in the har- 
bor. Then, seeing no means of escape, he 
did what he could to strengthen his posi- 
tion and sent to Clinton to bring ships to 
help him. But Clinton did not come to 
his aid, so on October 11, after withstand- 
ing a severe cannonading for two days, 
two of the British redoubts were carried 
by the patriots. Cornwallis tried to es- 



UNITED STATES. 251 

cape, but the attempt was unsuccessful, 
a violent storm scattering tlie boats in 
wbicli lie boped to cross the York River ; 
so, seeing no other alternative, he made pro- 
posals of surrender. In about two weeks 
from the beginning of the siege his army, 
seven thousand strong, laid down its 
arms. 

The news of this surrender spread pro- 
foundest joy throughout the land. A day 
of thanksgiving was appointed which was 
observed in all the States, while in the 
army prayers were offered in every bri- 
gade. Though George III. was still stub- 
born, England was at last convinced that 
the Americans would never be conquered 
by British arms, and so closed the war. 
The king's troops, however, remained in 
New York until November, 1783. 

On September 3, 1783, the treaty of 
peace was signed at Paris, by which the 
United States was acknowledged a free 
and independent nation. The Amer- 
ican signers of this treaty were Benja- 
min Franklin, John Adams, and John 
Jay. 



252 HISTORY OF THE 

Eight years liad passed since the first 
blood of the Revolution had been spilt, 
and now that the people were free, the 
resources of their country were used up, 
their fields wasted, ai d energies well-nigh 
exhausted. The pub ic debt was so great 
— nearly one hundred and seventy mill- 
ions of dollars— that the soldiers could 
not get their pay, and had nothing with 
which to start life anew. 

The thirteen States then forming the 
United States were only loosely joined to- 
gether by the Continental Congress, which 
had outlived its usefulness when peace was 
declared. To remedy this defect Articles 
of Confederation were adopted by the 
States in 1781, which vested a Congress 
of Delegates from each of the States with 
certain legislative power. But this gov- 
ernment was deficient in that it commanded 
little respect with foreign powers, and was 
very unsatisfactory at home. 



UNITED STATES. 



253 




1789 



GKURUE WASHINGTON. 



1797 



254 HISTORY OF THE 

' CHAPTEE XXIV. 

washes"Gton's admlnisteation. 

On November 25, 1783, the day that the 
British left New York, Washington took 
a formal leave of his officers and retired to 
his home at Mount Vernon, and from here 
emanated the plan for remodelling the gov- 
ernment. A convention to meet at An- 
napolis was called in September, 1786, but 
as only representatives from five States 
were present, it was adjourned until May 
of the following year. Then delegates 
from all the States except Rhode Island 
assembled in Philadelphia. Washington 
was chosen president of the convention. 
After much discussion it was decided to 
set aside the old government and adopt a 
new constitution. Early in the follow- 
ing fall the Constitution of the United 
States was written and adopted. 

While this was going on in Philadelphia 
the last Colonial Congress was sitting in 
New York, and at this session a measure 
was carried which proved of great impor- 



UNITED STATES. 255 

tance to our country — the organization of 
the Northwestern Territory. General Ar- 
thur St. Clair was appointed military 
governor, and in 1788 began his duties 
with his headquarters at Marietta. Out of 
this vast tract the States of Ohio, Indiana, 
Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin have 
since been formed. 

On the 6th of April, 1789, under the 
new Constitution, George Washington was 
chosen President of the United States, 
and John Adams Vice-President. General 
Washington had to make the long journey 
fi'om Mount Vernon to New York to take 
the oath of office. He rode in his private 
carriage, and all along the way was feted 
and honored, till his journey seemed like 
one grand triumphal march. 

On April 30, 1789, Washington stepped 
out on the gallery of the Old City Hall, 
corner of Wall and Broad Streets, New 
York, and there, in the presence of a vast 
crowd of admiring countrymen, took the 
oath of office which made him the first 
President of the United States. 

It was not an easy position that he had 



256 HISTORY OF THE 

been called upon to take, but perhaps re- 
alizing that no man in the country could 
fill it as well, he accepted its responsibili- 
ties and set himself at once to consider 
some of the many difficulties that embar- 
rassed the new government. 

He first nominated the members of his 
Cabinet, appointing Alexander Hamilton 
Secretary of the Treasury, Thomas Jeffer- 
son Secretaiy of State, and General Henry 
Knox Secretary of War. Under the Con- 
stitution a Supreme Court was organized, 
of which John Jay was appointed Chief- 
Justice. Edmund Randolph was chosen 
Attorney-General. These were all able men, 
parti culai'ly well-fitted for the positions 
thrust upon them, and Washington needed 
all their united wisdom to assist him in 
guiding the bark of state into quiet waters. 
Not only had he an empty treasury, with 
no definite means of replenishing it, and 
many tribes of hostile Indians on the west- 
ern borders to contend with, but our rela- 
tions with France were becoming unsafe 
because of a war waging in that country. 
Spain could not be induced to open the 



UNITED STATES. 257 

Mississippi River to our ships, and, worst 
of all, England was not keeping the treaty 
she had just made. 

Probably no man in the world waa bet- 
ter fitted to reo-ulate the finances of tlic 
country than Alexander Hamilton, the 
Secretary of the Treasury. He devised 
a plan, that was adopted by Congress, by 
which the United States paid all its own 
debts in full, and assumed many of those 
of the different States. A bank known as 
the United States Bank was established 
at Philadelpliia in 1791, together with the 
national mint, which issued its first coin 
in 1792. By Hamilton's suggestion, a tax 
was levied upon imported goods, and upon 
the distillation of whiskey. In 1795 a 
treaty was made with Spain by which 
the Mississippi Biver troubles were ended. 
That same }'ear John Jay concluded a 
treaty \vitli England which, though advan- 
tageous in the main, was not satisfactoi'y 
to most of our peo[)le, for it did not pro- 
vide against the impressment of our sail- 
ors by British ships. 



17 




258 HISTORY OF THE 



CHAPTER XXV. 

?*t- EARLY DIFFICULTIES READJUSTED. 

For eight years Washington had held 
the Presidential chair, but when it was 
offered to him for a third time he refused 
the honor, and John Adams was chosen 
President, with Thomas Jefferson for 
Vice-President. On the 4th of March, 
1 797, President Adams was inaugurated. 

During this administration our young 
republic ^vas nearly drawn into a war with 
France. Ambassadors were sent across 
the sea to adjust matters, but the Direc- 
tory, as the governing party in France was 
then called, refused to have anything to do 
with them unless they first agreed to pay 
into their treasury the sum of two hundred 
and fifty thousand dollars. The United 
States refused to do this, and a war with 
France seemed unavoidable. A new army 
was organized, and Washington called 
fi'oni the quiet of Mount Vernon to be 
its commander-in-chief. A navy was 
raised, and put to sea. Two engagements 



UNITED STATES. 



259 




1797 



.JOHN ADAMS. 



1801 



260 HISTORY OF THE 

took place between American and French 
frigates, in both of which our ships were 
victorious. 

Napoleon Bonaparte, who had in the 
meanwhile overthrown the Directory and 
made himself Consul of the' republic, now 
sought peace with the United States, and 
in the fall of 1800 a treaty to that effect 
was drawn up and signed. But before 
these hostilities were concluded our coun- 
try was called upon to mourn the loss of 
her first President nnd beloved chieftain. 
After an illness of a few hours, on Decem- 
ber 14, 1799, Washington died at Mount 
Vernon. 

In 1801 Thomas Jeiferson became the 
third President of the United States. It 
was Mr. Jefferson who wrote the Declara- 
tion of Indej^endence a quarter of a cen- 
tury before. To him we also owe our 
American decimal system of coinage, and 
the statute for religious freedom that 
has been such a credit to his native state. 
Through him Louisiana was purchased of 
the French, who in their turn had taken it 
from Spain a short time before. 






UNITED STATES. 



261 




1801 



THOMAS JEFFERSON. 



1809 



262 HISTORY OF THE 

In the summer of 1804 the Vice-Presi- 
dent, Aaron Burr, shot and killed Alexan- 
der Hamilton in a duel. So in tlie fall, 
though Thomas Jefferson was reelected 
President, Mr. Burr was thrown out of 
office, and Greorge Clinton, of New York, 
chosen in his place. Later, to avenge 
himself and to gain ])ower, Aaron Burr 
formed a conspiracy to overthrow the gov- 
ernment, but, fortunately for our country, 
it came to naught. 

It was during Mr. Jefferson's adminis- 
tration that Robert Fulton built his first 
steam-boat. This was an ungainly craft, 
named the Clerrtiont, but when, on Sep- 
tember 2, 1807, without sails and in the 
face of the wind, it left the dock at New 
York and began to slowly move up the 
Hudson, it was considered the most won- 
derful vessel afloat. 

In March, 1809, James Madison was in- 
augurated the fourth Pi-esident of the 
United States. George Clinton was re- 
elected Vice-President. 

For some time England had been gro^y- 
ing more and more insolent. King George 



UNITED STATES. 



263 




1809 



JAMES MAUIiiUN. 



1817 



264 HISTORY OF THE 

III. was now old and insane, but the same 
ministry that had governed the kingdom 
through his reign was still in power, and as 
arrogant as in the old Revolutionary times. 
American vessels were seized and sent 
to England as lawful prizes, and others 
were boarded and men taken from them 
to do duty as seamen on English ships. 
While these things were taking place on 
the sea, the British agents in the North- 
west and on the frontier were inciting the 
Indians to all manner of hostilities. Try- 
ing as all this was, the United States bore 
it for some time in comparative silence, for 
a large portion of the people were opposed 
to war, and hoped some other measures 
might be taken for restoring peace. But 
the patience of the government was at last 
exhausted by the increasing insults and 
injuries received from Great Britain, and 
war was declared against that country. , 
^rhis was known as "The War of 1812." 

Now for neai'ly three years battles werej 
fought on land and on sea. Brave men 
were killed and homes made desolate in 
a second War of Independence. It was 



UNITED STATES. 



265 




JAMES MONROK. 



1817 



1825 



266 HISTOR Y .OF THE 

during this contest that Commodore Perry 
gained his famous victory on Lake Erie, 
and General Jackson won his hiurels in the 
Battle of New Orleans. On December 14, 
and nearly a month before this battle 
was fought, a treaty of peace was signed 
at Ghent, but no Atlantic cable then 
stretched under the sea to flash the news 
from one continent to the other with 
lightning rapi<lity. Slow sailing-vessels 
brought us all we knew of ^vhat was go- 
ing on on the other side, and, unfortu- 
nately, the news of this treaty came too late 
to prevent the dreadful loss of life at New 
Ot'leans, where, it is said, the British left 
1,700 dead and wounded upon the field. 
The Americans were so safely protected 
by their breastworks that they lost but 
seven killed and six wounded. 

On March 4, 1817, James Monroe, the 
fifth President of the United States, was 
inaugurated, Mr. Monroe was a judicious 
and reliable man, surrounded by remark- 
ably able counsellors. He had distin- 
guished himself as a soldier during the 
Revolution, had been Minister to France, 



UNITED STATES. 267 

and was a general favorite of the people. 
Duiing his administration the material 
growth of the country increased greatly ; 
the West rapidly filled with settlers from 
the Eastern States, manufactures of all 
kinds received a stimulus, and commerce, 
which had suffered greatly during the war, 
was resumed with vigor. 

And now another and very powerful 
element was beginning to make itself felt. 
Until 1820 there were the same number 
of free and slave States, but at that time 
Maine and Missouri both applied for 
admission into the Union. Maine was ad- 
mitted in March, 1820, but the members 
of Congress in favor of slavery insisted 
that in order to maintain the balance 
of power that had previously existed 
Missouri should be a slave State. The 
debate concerning this was so protracted 
that entrance was delayed until August, 
1821, when a compromise was effected, 
and an act of Congress, called the Mis- 
souri Compromise, was passed which pro- 
vided that slaves could only be kept in 
Missouri, and in the territory south of 



268 HISTORY OF THE 

36° 30' uortli latitude. In November 
Mr. Monroe was reelected President, with 
scarcely a dissenting vote. At Lis recom- 
mendation, Congress passed an act in 
March, 1818, making provision in some 
degree for the surviving veterans of the 
Revolution. Afterwards it was made to 
include the widows and children of those 
who were deceased. 

In 1819 the United States purchased 
Florida from Spain. In August, 1824, 
Lafayette, the friend of our country, ar- 
rived in New York, and con mien ced a 
tour of over five thousand miles through- 
out America. Everywhere he was feted 
and greeted with warm affection, and- 
though he missed his companion-in-arms, 
he enjoyed his visit to the full. 

The 4th of March, 1825, saw the inau- 
guration of John Quincy Adams, the son 
of President John Adams, as President of 
the United States. Owing to the hai)py 
relations that existed between this country 
and all foreign powers, Mr. Adams' term of 
office was a remarkably quiet one, and dur- 
ing it the nation enjoyed great prosperity. 



UNITED STATES. 269 




JOUN *i. AUAMS. 

1825 1829 



270 HISTORY OF THE 



One strange coincidence occurred dur- 
ing tlae second year of his administration. 
This was tlie deatli <>f liis father and 
President Jefferson. On July 4, 1826, 
these two great patriots passed away, 
John Adams at his home in Massachusetts, 
and Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. The 
careers of both men had been singularly 
alike ; both had lived to a great age, both 
had been framers, and then signers, of 
the Declaration, both had been ministers 
abroad, then Vice-Presidents, and finally 
Presidents of the United States, and now, 
on its fiftieth anniversary, both died at 
nearly the same hour. From the three mill- 
ions who threw off the British yoke, they 
had seen America's pojjulation increase to 
twelve millions. The thirteen States had 
added twelve others to their number, and 
the great territory of the West liad been 
])ought, and ^vas opening its resources to 
our people. It is with feelings of grati- 
tude that we remember that these bi-ave 
men, who did so much for their country, 
were spared to see thus far the realization 
of their dreams. Would that Washington 
could have done the same ! 



UNITED STATES. 



271 




ANDBEW JACKSON. 



1839 



l«bJ 



272 HTSTORY OF THE 

In May, 1828, the Tariff Bill was passed 
by Congress. This imposed high protect- 
ive tariff on imported manufactures, and 
was very popular with the North, as it 
would keep out of the market many for- 
eign goods that greatly interfered with 
the sale of domestic manufactures. At 
the South the cotton-gro\\"iug States espe- 
cially opposed it, as its tendency would 
be to increase the price of manufactured 
goods while it depreciated the price of the 
raw material exported to England. 

Ever since Andrew Jackson had de- 
fended New Orleans so gallantly agninst 
an army of twelve thousand well-drilled 
British soldiers, with a force of not half 
that number, and made up for the most 
part of free negroes and prisoners from 
the jails, he had been the most popular 
man in the country. In 1829 he was 
made the seventh President of the 
Union. 

Andrew Jackson was born in Mecklen- 
burg County, K C, in March, 1767. 
His parents were Scotch-Irish, and came 
from the north of Ireland. His father 



UNITED STATES. 



273 




1837 



MAKTIN VAN lUKKN, 



1841 



1» 



274 HISTORY OF THE 

died while lie was still quite young ; but 
he was blessed with an excellent mother, 
who worked hard spinning flax to keep 
her boy from want, and send him to the 
little held school-house where he received 
all the schooling he had. When Andrew 
was eighteen he went to the little town of 
Salisbury to study law, and finding many 
of his friends g^oinsi: f o Tennessee, he went 
too. Here his quick tenq)er got him fre- 
quently into trouble, and here he had 
many a fight with the Indians. 

Mr. Jackson was a man either thoi- 
oughly loved or thoroughly hated. He 
made a good President, for he enforced 
the laws with firnmess, and by his wise 
administration raised our country- in the 
respect of all European powers. No little 
children of his own came to lighten his 
home, so he a<lopted a nephew of Mrs. 
Jackson's, and a poor little Indian baby 
that he found, after a battle, sleeping 
quietly in its dea<l mothers arms. 

It will be remembered that during 
Washington's administration the United 
States Bank was established. In 1811 its 



UNITED STATES. 275 

charter expired, but in 1816 a new 
United States Bank was formed, with a 
charter for twenty years. It was now 
nearly time to recharter it, but from the 
first President Jackson was in hostility 
with a United States Bank. He recom- 
mended the removal of the public funds 
from its custody, and the sale of its 
stock, but Congress was opposed to that 
measure. When at last the bill for re- 
chartering the bank was voted upon, it 
passed both Houses of Congress, but Pres- 
ident Jackson, feeling himself right, ve- 
toed it. 

The next year he directed William J. 
Duane, the Secretary of the Treasury, to 
withdraw the public funds and transfer 
them to the various State banks. Mr. 
Duane refused to do it, and was dismissed 
from office. Later, the President, sustained 
by the House of Representatives, carried 
his point, and when its charter expired in 
1836 the old United States Bank went 
out of existence. During Mr. Jackson's ad- 
ministration our people in the AVest and 
South had considerable trouble with the 



276 HISTORY OF THE 

IndiaDs, and armed men were seut against 
them. Just before his term of office ex- 
pired, on July 11, 1836, he issued a cir- 
cular letter from the Treasury Department, 
demanding that all government revenues 
should be collected in 2:old and silver. 
On March 4, 1837, President Jackson, 
then seventy years of age, leaving public 
life behind him, retired to his pleasant 
home to enjoy the rest of domestic 
life. 

Up to this time the Presidents had been 
descendants of the English, but Martin 
Van Buren, the eiglitli in order, was of 
Dutch descent. He was born at Kinder- 
hook, N. Y., in December, 1T82. He, 
too, was a lawyer; and in 1815 became 
attorney -general of New York State. 

At one time he served his country in 
the United States Senate ; at another as 
Minister to England, and finally as Vice- 
President during the last four years of Mr. 
Jackson's administi'ation. The people of 
New Yoi'k were much pleased to have Mr, 
Van Buren elected to the highest office in 
our land, and presented him with a phae- 



UNITED STATES. 211 

ton made from the wood of the frigate Con- 
stitution, m which he and the retiring Pres- 
ident, Mr. Jackson, rode from the White 
House to the Capitol when he took his 
oath of office. It was during his adminis- 
tration that the "panic of 1837 " occurred. 
During 1837 a rebellion broke out in 
Canada, and sympathizers in the United 
States sent guns and ammunition to their 
aid. Some men volunteered to help them, 
but the President sent General Scott to the 
frontier to prevent them from crossing the 
line, and by his wise and pacific policy 
prevented further trouble. 

William Henry Harrison, the ninth 
President of the nation, was sixty-eight 
years of age when called to that office. 
A Virginian by birth, he was the adopted 
son of Robert Morris, the financier. 
Having received a classical education at 
Hampden-Sidney College, he began the 
study of medicine. But the army had more 
attractions for him, so he entered it as an 
ensign in 1791, and was rapidly promoted. 
Later he became lieutenant-ii'overnor and 
then governor of the Indiana Territory, 



278 HISTORY OF THE 

and in the war of 1812 did some very 
efficient work, particularly distinguishing 
himself at Tippecanoe and the battle of 
the Thames. 

Being one of our early Western pioneers, 
Mr. Harrison lived for many years in a 
log-cabin, so when he was nominated for 
President that was taken for a symbol 
of his party. Log-cabins of all styles and 
sizes were erected in every portion of 
our country, many of them used for mass 
meetings and party gatherings. 

People now looked for brighter days, 
and the hopes of a nation were centred 
in the new President. But Just one 
month from the day he entered the White 
House amidst shouts of congratulation 
he breathed his life away in one of its 
chambers. The responsibilities of his of- 
fice weighed upon him to the last, and in 
a half- unconscious state, imao-ininsf himself 
addressing his successor, Mr. Tyler, he 
delivered his last famous speech : " Sir, I 
wish you to understand the principles of 
the government. I ^vish them carried out. 
I ask nothing more." This was the first 



UNITED STATES. 



279 




GEN. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. 
MARCH 4, 1841 APRIL 4, 1841 



280 HISTORY OF THE 

time sucli a calaiiiit}- had befallen our 
nation, and the grief it occasioned was 
wide-felt and profound. As soon as Mr. 
Harrison died, a messenger was sent in 
haste to summons the Vice-President, John 
Tyler, who was at Williamsburg. Ac- 
cording to tlie Constitution, if a President 
dies, the Vice-President succeeds him in 
office. Mr. Tyler reached Washington on 
the morning of April 6, at four o'clock, 
and immediately took the oath of office 
which made him the tenth President of 
the United States. He also was a native 
of Virginia, born in Charles City County, 
in March, 1790. 

Being extremely precocious, he entered 
William and Mary College at the age of 
twelve, and graduated at seventeen. Like 
many of his predecessors, he studied law, 
was elected a member of the Virginia 
legislature, and later to Congress, in 1816, 
when he was but twenty-six. 

At thirty-five he was governor of Vir- 
ofinia, and afterwards was sent to the 
United States Senate. 

The Whig party, which had placed Mr. 



UNITED STATES. 



281 




APRIL 4, 1841 



JOHN TYLER. 



1846 



282 HISTORY OF THE 

Harrison in office, laid all the blame of tlie 
financial depression wLicli had nearly par- 
alyzed the country for the last four years 
to the Democratic measures of the specie 
circular issued by Jackson, and the discon- 
tinuation of the United States Bank. They 
knew Mr. Harrison was in favor of a na- 
tional baulc, and hoped thi'ough him to es- 
tablish another United States Bank, and so 
bring back again the high tide of financial 
prosperity. Their disgust was only too 
apparent ^v hen President Tyler vetoed the 
bill which Congress passed for the new 
bank. 

It was during Mr. Tyler's administra- 
tion that the boundary line between Maine 
and Canada was finally settled by Dan- 
iel Webster and Lord Ashburton. 

About the same time the famous Dorr 
War, or "Tempest in a Teapot," as it was 
wittily called, occuired in Rhode Island. 
That same year saw the completion of the 
Bunker Hill Monument. 

Texas, already largely settled by people 
from the Northern United States, in 1835 
threw off the yoke of Mexico, and declared 



UNITED STATES. 283 

itself iudependeut. In 1845 it was ad- 
mitted into the Union. Mr. Tyler took 
part witli the Confederates in tlje civil 
war, and died at Richmond, Va., January 
18, 1862. 



284 HISTORY OF THE 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

WAR WITH MEXICO. 

Though Texas had proclaimed its in- 
dependence, Mexico refused to acknowl- 
edge it, and a war between that country 
and the United States was the conse- 
quence. 

On the 4th of March preceding the ad- 
mission of Texas elames K. Polk, of 
Tennessee, took the oath of office and be- 
came the eleventh President of the country. 
Mr. Polk was born in Mecklenburo; Coun- 
ty, N. C, in November, 1795; but when a 
little child his father moved to Tennessee. 
Having been educated for a lawyei', he 
was early in life elected to his State legis- 
lature, and later chosen as governor. 

He entered Congress in 1825, and was a 
member of that body almost continuously 
until he was made President. 

Up to Mr. Polk's administration, Great 
Britain and the United States both 
claimed the territory of Oregon, and at 
one time a war was feared in consequence 



UNITED STATES. 285 

of tlie dispute arising from these claims ; 
but in 1846 the question was settled, and 
tlie forty-ninth parallel became the bound- 
ary between the two countries. 

Early in July the President ordered 
Gen. Zachary Taylor, who had com- 
mand of the troops in the Southwest, 
to proceed to Texas ; while Commodoi'e 
Conner, with a strong squadron, was sent 
to the Gulf of Mexico to protect our ship- 
ping there. General Taylor made his 
camp at the Mexican village of Corpus 
Christi, and remained there until ordered 
by the Secretary of War to advance to 
near the mouth of the Rio Grande, oppo- 
site the Mexican city of Matamoras, where 
the enemy was gathering with the inten- 
tion of invading Texas. Leaving his 
stores at Point Isabel, a disputed territory 
between Texas and Mexico, with Major 
Monroe and four hundred and fifty men 
to protect them, he advanced with the re- 
mainder of his army to the banks of tlie 
Rio Grande, and commenced building a 
fort. 

When nearly completed, Taylor was 



286 HISTORY OF THE 

forced to leave it with a small garrison 
under Major Brown — for whom the fort 
was named — to relieve Major Monroe at 
Point Isabel. The Mexicans were greatly 
rejoiced at his departure, for they supposed 
it a cowardly retreat, and at once prepared 
to take Fort Brown. 

General Taylor had left orders that in 
the event of an attack, if help was needed, 
heavy signal guns should be fired at the 
fort. Soon after his departure the Mex- 
ican battery at Matamoras opened a heavy 
cannonade and bombardment upon it, 
while troops crossed the river to attack 
it on the other side. For a long time 
the little garrison defended the fort brave- 
ly ; then, Major Brown becoming mor- 
tally wounded, they signalled for help. 
As soon as General Taylor heard them, 
he hastened for the fort. On the next 
day he was met by a force of Mexicans 
much greater than his own ; but after a 
fierce fight, that lasted five hours, the 
Mexicans gave way and fled. The next 
morning the troops pushed forward, and 
towards evening came upon another de- 



UNITED STATES. 287 




JAMES K. I'ULii, 

1«45 1849 



288 HISTORY OF THE 

tachment of the Mexican army, drawn up 
in line of battle. A shorter thono;h fiercer 
battle now ensued, leaving, as on the day 
before, the Americans masters of the field. 

Congress now formally declared war, 
and in a month an army of 300,000 men 
was raised and ready for service, and a 
campaign was planned by the Secretary of 
War and General Scott that should cover 
more country than any the world had 
ever known. 

General Kearney was to assemble the 
" Army of the West " at Fort Leaven- 
worth, and invade New Mexico and Cali- 
fornia, while a fleet under Commodore 
Stockton should proceed to the Pacific 
coast, by way of Cape Horn, and cooper- 
ate with him. General Taylor was to con- 
tinue his operations on the Rio Grande, 
while General Wool was to proceed from 
San Antonio and subdue the province of 
Chihuahua, in the heart of Mexico. 

General Taylor at once took possession 
of Matamoras ; then turning his attention 
to Monterey, a strongly fortified town, he 
reduced that on September 23, 1846, after 



UNITED STATES. 289 

a four days' siege. The next month he 
moved on to Saltillo. 

In January General Scott, who had Just 
arrived at Vera Cruz, ordered General 
Taylor to send him a large portion of 
his best officers and men to invest that 
city. ^ 

This left General Taylor ^vith an army 
of only 5,000 men, against 20,000 under 
Santa Anna, that soon advanced against 
him. Taking j^^ssession of the narrow, 
mountain pass of Bueiia Vista, the brave 
general awaited an attack from Mexicans. 
At about noon on the following day, the 
22d of February, Santa Anna, assuring 
him that it would be impossible for him 
to escape, as he was surrounded by 20,000 
troops, demanded him to surrender, with 
a })romise of protection to the Americans. 
The answer was ^^dlat might have been 
expected by those knowing the man : 
" General Taylor never suri-enders ! " 

'' TJuz Memory of Washingtoii ! ""was the 
battle-cry of the Americans that day, and 
at night a field covered with dead and 
dying told how his birthday had been 

19 



290 HISTORY OF THE 

kept. The next day the l)attle was re- 
newed. Several times the little baud of 
Americans was nearly overpowered b>- the 
repeated charges of the Mexicans, but they 
rallied after eacli attack, and when dark- 
ness closed in upon the scene it fouud the 
Americans masters of a bloody field, wdiile 
the Mexicans, flying in (?oufusion, had not 
stopped to care for either their dead or 
wounded. 

General Kearney, having taken posses- 
sion of Santa Fe, proceeded on his way to 
California. Soon he was met by messen- 
gers from Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont and 
Commodore Stockton, informing him that 
the conquest of California had already 
been made. 

Colonel Fremont had been sent with a 
j:)arty of sixty men to explore portions of 
New Mexico and California. Meetino- with 
opposition from the Mexicans, he aroused 
all American settlers in the region, and 
with their help captured a large Mexi- 
can })ost, with its garrison and nine can- 
nons. Then advancing, he took Sonoma, 
defeating the Mexican leader Castio, and 



I 



UNITED STATES. 291 

made prisoners of his troops. Having 
driven tlie Mexicans out of tlie land, the 
x\mei'ican (Ailifornians declared them- 
selves independent of Mexico, and chose 
Fremont to govern their affairs. 

About the middle of March, 1847, 
General Scott demanded the surrender 
of Vera Cruz. The Mexicans refused, be- 
lieving the strong castle of San Juan 
dTJlloa, which guarded the city, could not 
be taken. The fleet and his batteries at 
once opened a bombardment upon the 
doomed town, and a siege continued until 
March 27, when both fortress and city, 
■with 5,000 prisoners, ^vere surrendered 
to General Scott. The Americans had 
lost but forty men durino; the attack, 
^vhile over one thousand Mexicans were 
killed, and nearly as many more wounded. 
After taking possession of Vera Cruz, 
the general hastened forward toAvard the 
capital. At the mountain pass of Cerro 
Gordo he came upon Santa Anna with an 
army of 18,000, strongly fortified to dis- 
pute his passage. Scott pushed forwai-d 
and commenced the work of assault. The 



292 HISTORY OF THE 



Mexicans were driven aw ay, and on April 
22 General Scott and his army took pos- 
session of the Aztec towns of Jalapa and 
Perote, the latter, next to Vera Cruz, the 
strongest fortress in Mexico. Leaving 
these places under small garrisons, Scott 
j)ressed forward to the fortified city of 
Puebla, which surrendered without blood- 
shed. 

In August, having received reenforce- 
ments, the American army ascended the 
Cordilleras by the same route that Cor- 
tez had advanced over three hundred years 
before, and at the top were i-efreshed b}' 
much the same glorious visions that met 
the eyes of the Spanish conqueror and his 
brave followers. Before them lay the 
rich valleys and fertile plains of Mexico, 
the site of the splendid capital of the 
Aztec nation, where the proud Monte- 
zuma enjoyed his triumphs and at last 
met his death. 

On August 20 the Americans forced 
several approaches to the city and gained 
five fiercely contested battles. On Sep- 
tember 8 the Mexicans were di'iven fiom 



UNITED STATES. 



293 




ZACnARY TAYLOR. 

MARCH 5, 1849 JULY !i, 1850 



294 HISTORY OF THE 

El Molino del Rey, near Cbapultepec, a 
strongly fortified hill, then occupied by 
the military school of Mexico. This was 
the last defended site outside the gates 
of the city of Mexico. On September 
1 2, 1847, General Scott commenced to bom- 
bard the fortress, and on the next day, 
by a furious charge, routed the enemy, 
and unfurled the American flag from the 
top of proud Chapultepec. 

The Mexicans fled to the city along an 
aqueduct, followed closely by the Ameri- 
cans. That night, under cover of darkness, 
Santa Anna and his ofl&cers fled from the 
capital. On the 14th of September Gen- 
eral Scott entered the city with his army. 

In February, 1848, a treaty of peace was 
signed at Guadalupe Hidalgo, by which 
the Rio Grande was made the boundary 
of Texas, and the great tracts of lands 
embraced in California and New Mexico 
Were ceded to the United States. She in 
her turn assumed Mexican debts to the 
amount of $3,500,000, and gave in ad- 
dition $15,000,000 to the Mexican Govern- 
ment. 



UNITED STATES. 295 




MU.LAUU IILLMOKK. 

jui,Y 9, 1850 186^ 



296 HISTORY OF THE 

This treaty had but just given California 
to the United States when gohl was dis- 
covered in that land, and thousands of 
fortune-seekers started for the region. 

And now another President was called 
to tlie head of the nation. This time it 
was Zachary Taylor, who had won the 
admiration of the people by his brilliant 
successes in the war just finished. In less 
than two years after gold was discovered 
on her soil C^alifornia asked to be admitted 
as a State. The question at once arose, 
Should she come in a free or a slave State ? 

At this time we had two very bright 
men in the Senate, Henry Clay and Daniel 
Webster. 

Henry Clay at once became the peace- 
maker, and offered a plan or compromise 
which suited all parties. By it California 
was made a free State. Utah, New Mex- 
ico, and Minnesota were marked out as 
Territories. The slave-trade in the District 
of Columbia ^vas abolislied, and a law^ made 
providing for the arrest of all runaway 
slaves in the free States, and their return 
to theii' masters. 



UNITED STATES. 297 

The people at the North were much 
opposed to this last law, and before they 
had ceased to talk about it our couutry 
was again called to mourn the death of 
a President. On the 9th of July Presi- 
dent Taylor died, and Millard Fillmore, 
the Vice-President, succeeded him in office. 
It was during President Fillmore's admin- 
istration that the " open polar sea " was 
discovered by Elisha Kent Kane, M.D., 
who w^ent north on an expedition to find 
Sir John Franklin, an Eno-lish navio^ator. 



298 HISTORY OF THE 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

FROM THE WAR WITH MEXICO TO THE CIVIL 
WAR. 

It was on a cold, snowy day, March 
4, 1853, that our fourteentli President, 
Franklin Pierce, stood upon the rude 
pine platform which his friends had 
brought from New Hampshire, his native 
State, and took the oath of office. 

Franklin Pierce, son of Gen. Benjamin 
Pierce, was born at Hillsborough, N. H, 
in November, 1804. In 1820 he entered 
Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, Me., and 
graduated in 1824. He at once began 
studying law. While in college he be- 
came the firm friend of Nathaniel Haw- 
thorne, one of our most noted authors, 
and when raised to the highest place in 
our land he remembered his old friend, 
and sent him as consul to Liverpool. 

In the summer of 1853 Japan opened 
her ports to American vessels. During 
the same year plans were being made for 
the construction of the first railroad that 



UNITED STATES. 



299 




1853 



FRANKLIN FIERCE. 



1857 



300 HTSTORY OF THE 

should connect tTie Atlantic witli tlie Pa- 
cific. May, 1869, saw tlie completion of 
the work. 

James Buchanan, the fifteenth Presi- 
dent of the United States, took the oath 
of office on March 4, 1857. 

By this time very bitter feelings con- 
cerning the slave (juestion were held by 
both North and South. A certain slave 
named Dred Scott had been taken by his 
master to live in a free State, and on the 
strength of this he began a suit against 
his master for his freedom. The Chief- 
Justice of the United States decided the 
question in favor of the owner, to the in- 
tense chagrin of the anti-slaver)^ party. In 
August, 1857, a ''National Emancipation 
Society " was formed at Cleveland, O., 
which had for its object the maturing of 
some plan by which all the slaves of the 
S(nitli might be bought and tlnm given 
their freedom. 

On October 17, 1859, an enthusiastic 
ami brave fanatic, named John Brown, 
believed himself to be the instrument by 
which the slaves were to be freed. On 



UNITED STATES. 301 




JAMES BUCHANAN. 

1857 18' '1 



302 HISTORY OF THE 

Sunday morning, October 16, with but 
seventeen white and five colored men, lie 
seized the arsenal and railroad bridge at 
Harper's Ferry, Va., and quietly arrested 
the citizens one by one as they came 
unsuspectingly from their houses. His 
intention was to secure the arms and 
annnunition of the place and send them 
to a farm back in the mountains for the 
pui'pose of arming the fugitive negroes. 
Col. Robert E. Lee soon came to Har- 
per's Ferry ^vith government troops and 
cannon, and a severe struggle took place, 
in which several were killed, including 
two of John Brown's sons. Mr. Browai 
himself was taken prisoner and indicted 
for treason and murder. Being found 
guilty, he was hanged on December 2, 
1859. 

This attempt to free the slaves of Vir- 
ginia embittered the South more than 
ever against the anti-slavery party, for 
they believed it simply a part of a con- 
spiracy, wide-spread at the North, for rob- 
bing them of their jDroperty. At the 
North the party feeling was quite as 



^ 



UNITED STATES. 



303 



strong. Tlie Dred Scott decision meeting 
with popular opp<^sition, open defiance 




JEFFBKSON DAVI(^ 



was now shown to tlie "Fugitive Slave 
Law." Escaping slaves were eagerly 
helped to reach Canada, and tlie pulpit 
and press advocated in the strongest 
terms freedom to the race. 



304 HISTORY OF THE 

These were the existing feelings when 
the Presidential campaign of 1860 opened. 

The Republican or anti-slavery party 
nominated Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois. 
Those of the other party could not de- 
cide upon one candidate, so divided their 
votes among three, John C. Breckinridge, 
Stephen A. Douglas, and John Bell. 

Mr. Lincoln, being the candidate for 
the undivided party, secured the election. 
The leaders of the South had already an- 
nounced their intention of leaving the 
Union if Mr. Lincoln was elected, and at 
once set about putting this threat into 
execution. A convention of delegates met 
at Charleston, S. C, on December 20, and 
formally declared that State to have left 
the Union. In less than six weeks Mis- 
sissippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, 
Florida, and Texas joined her. 

'Just one month before Mr. Lincoln was 
sworn into office these States sent dele- 
gates to a general convention held at 
Mont2:omery to orsranize a Southern Con- 
federacy. They drew up a constitution, 
formed a i;;overiiment, and elected Jeffer- 



UNITED STATES. 



305 



.-r-S^^^ 




ABIiAHAM I,IN(OI.N. 

MAi{( II 4, lS(il Aruii- 14, 1865 



20 



306 HISTORY OF THE 

sou Davis, of Mississippi, President, aud 
Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, Vice- 
President. 

Wlien iVbraliani Lincoln was inaugu- 
rated, on March 4, 1861, it was feared he 
might not l)e allowed to take his office 
without resistance from his opponents, so 
a large military force under General Scott 
was on hand to quell any disturbance 
that might arise. He took the oath of 
office as quietly as other Presidents had 
done, and then followed his address. 

During Mr. Buchanan's administration 
many of the most inq)ortaut offices of the 
government had been held by men in 
sympathy witli the South, and tliroug]i 
these, stores and ammunition had been 
quietly carried within their lines. Many 
of our ablest officers in the army were also 
Southern gentlemen, who at once resigned 
upon Mr. Lincoln's election. 

Charleston, S. C, was one of the South- 
ei'n strongholds, jind the C'oufederates at 
once demanded that Maj. Eobert Andei"- 
son, a loyal Kentuckian, Avho was in com- 
mand of the foiiifications there, deliver 



UmTED STATES. 



307 



his strougholcls and supplies to the South- 
em government. He paid no attention 
to their demands, except to move his little 
garrison of sixty men, mth his supplies, 
from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter, 




FORT SUMTER IN 1861. 



Avhich was the strongei' of the two. This 
exasperated the conspirators, who at once 
began preparations for an attack. 

Later, when a government slii}), the 
Star of the Med., appeared in the harbor 
with stores for Fort Sumter, she was fired 
upon and forced to leave. 

On April 1 1 the Confederate General 



308 



HISTORY OF THE 



I 



Beauregard demanded the evacuation of 
the fort. Major Anderson refused, when 
Beauregard opened a heavy cannonade upon 
the fort. The little garrison fought bravely, 
but at last, unable to stand the steady fire, 




p. O. T. BEAUREGARD. 



Anderson was obliged to evacuate the fort, 
Beauregard according him full honors of 
war, allowing a safe passage of the major 
and his men to a government steamer 
lying off the bar. 



UNITED STATES. 309 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

THE CIVIL WAR. 

OisT the following clay President Lincoln 
called for 75,000 troops to aid the gov- 
ernment in putting down the rebellion, 
and at nearly the same time North Caro- 
lina, Virginia, Arkansas, and Tennessee 
Joined the Confederacy. 







BADGES OF THE SEVEN CORPS OF UNION ARIVIY. 

Armies were hurriedly raised on both 
sides, and troops were sent to defend the 
two capitals, Washington and Richmond, 
and to the border States of Virginia, Ken- 
tucky, and Missouri. 

On Sunday, July 21, the first battle of 
Bull Run was fought, in which the Union 
forces were badly beaten. Great joy was 
felt over this victory throughout the South, 
for it confirmed their idea that the war 
would soon end, leaving themselves vie- 



310 HISTOhy OF THE 

tors. On the next day, July 22, General 
McClellan was called to command the 
Army of the Potomac. 

Though the State of Missouri was loyal 
to the Union, her gov^ernor was in league 
with the South, and hoped, with the aid of 
the many Southern politicians, to unite her 
destinies with the Confederacy. Efforts 
were made to seize the arsenal at St. Louis 
by means of a secret league, but the plan 
was frustrated by the loyalists of the 
city and Capt. Nathaniel Lyon, who com- 
manded the military post there. 

The governor at once called troops to 
assist him in carrying the State, and made 
Sterling Price military commander. Mis- 
souri was now the principal scene of ac- 
tion. Soon Captain Lyon was promoted 
to major-general, and placed in command 
of the National troops of Missouri. He 
at once moved toward Jefferson City to 
protect the capital from the insurgents. 
These fled upon his approach, but, pursu- 
ing them, he overtook and fought them at 
Boone ville, thus gaining military control 
over the most important part of the State. 



UN J TED STATES. 311 



In the meanwhile another body of 
troops, under Col. Fi'anz Sigel, met the 
insurgents near Carthage. On July 5 an 
engagement took place in which, owing 
to the greater number of the foe, kSigel 
was forced to retrejit to Sjningfield. 
General Lyon at once hastened to hel]) 
him, and on the 18th of July took com- 
mand of the united forces, ^vhich numbered 
six thousand men. 

At Dug Springs, a beautiful valley 
twenty miles from Springtiehl, he met and 
vanquished the enemA'. Lyon then re- 
turned to Springfield, and the Confederate 
army, much larger than his, under General 
McCulloch, encamped at AVilson's Creek, 
some ten miles south of the town. Again 
Lyon marched out to meet them on the 
lOth of August. The battle connnenced 
early in the day, and the tiooj)S, inspired 
by their intrepid leader, fought with vigor. 
At about nine o'clock General Lyon fell 
mortally wounded, and tlie battle ended 
two hours later, giving victory to the 
Unionists. General Fremont, one of the 
bravest and most accomplished generals 



312 



HISTORY OF THE 



in the uation, was now given command oi 
that division. The Confederates, after the 




WILLIAM H. SEWARD. 



battle of Wilson's Creek, spread them- 
selves over the State, and General F're- 
niont had just cimcentrated his forces with 
a view to dealing them a heavy blow that 



UNITED STATES. 313 

would couquer the State, and eventually 
drive tlie insurgents from the Mississippi 
valley, when he ^vas superseded in his 
connnand by General Hunter. 

There was no prospect now of the ^\ ar 
coming quickly to an end, as was at first 
predicted. In October William H. Sew- 
ard, Secretary of War, sent a circular to 
the governors of the States, advising sea- 
coast and lake defences. Seven days be- 
fore this the Confederate iron-clad Merri- 
mac made its first appearance off Fortress 
Monroe. 

During the early stages of the war a 
blockade was established along the coast, 
so as to prevent the Southern States from 
receiving supplies from abroad. In Au- 
gust General Butler captured two forts 
at Hatteras Inlet. England, at the com- 
mencement of the Civil War, issued a pro- 
clamation of neutrality ; but many Eng- 
lisli people favoi-ed the Soutli and would 
have been glad to help them if they could. 
The Confederates, finding that they now 
very much needed aid, sent two of their 
ablest men, James M. Mason and John 



314 HISTORY OF THE 



Slidell, to England and France for help. 
These conspirators left Charleston in a 
blockade-runner, on the dark, storm}' 
night of October 12, for Cuba, where 
they took passage on the English steamer 
Trent. From this they were forcibly 
removed on November 8, by Captain 
Wilkes, of the United States navy, and 
brought by him to the United States. 
England was strongly agitated by this ar- 
rest, regarding it an insult to her flag. 
Troops were sent to Canada, and aifairs 
assumed a threatening aspect. On Decem- 
ber 27, Mason and Slidell were surren- 
dered to the British minister, to the dis- 
appointment of the South, who were cer- 
tain to be gainers in the case of a ]>reach 
between the United States and Great 
Britain. 

In November General Sherman and 
Admiral Dupont obtained possession of 
the forts at Port Royal entrance in South 
Carolina, and the harbor and town of 
Beaufort. 

Early in January a large force of about 
sixteen thousand troops, mostly New Eug- 



1 



UNITED STATES. 315 



land men under Gen. Ambrose E. Burn- 
side, and a large naval force under Louis 
M. Goldsborougli, the commander of the 
North Atlantic Naval Squad I'on, were as- 
sembled in and around Hampton Roads. 




S. F. DUPONT. 



On January 11 the expedition went to 
sea, but its destination was kept secret. 
In February, after encountering severe 
storms, it appeared off the coast of North 
Carolina, and on the 8th Roanoke Island 
was captured. A month later Newbern 
was taken, the Confederate fleet near it 
destroyed, and before the end of April tlie 



316 HISTORY OF THE 

stars and stripes were floating over Fort 
MacoD. 

Tlie iron-clad steamer Merrimac, seen 
from Fortress Monroe some months before, 
was originally a Union vessel tliat was 
sunk during the first of the war to pre- 
vent her falling into the hands of the 
Confederates. They had raised her, how- 
ever, and on March 8, 1862, she appeared 
in Hampton Roads, and made an attack 
upon the blockading squadron stationed 
there. Without sustaining any injury 
from shot or shells she had destroyed two 
large war vessels, the Congress and Ciim- 
herland, when night shut in and put a 
stop for the time to the engagement. A 
little iron-clad vessel, invented by Capt. 
John Ericsson, of New York, of an entirely 
new form and principle, had just been fin- 
ished and was at this very time on her 
trial trip. When passing by the opening 
along the coast hei- commander, Lieuten- 
ant AVorden, saw the blazing Congress, and 
made for the scene of conflict. The 
greatest anxiety had been felt that night 
for the remaining ships, which any one 



UNITED STATES. 317 



could see were no match for tlie uiiglity 
monster. But the little Monitor at once 
])repared to meet it. When daylight 
came the Merrimac returned to finish 
her work of destruction. The combat be- 
tween the two iron-clads was terrible, but 
nfter a conflict of five hours the Merri- 
mac, over five times the size of her op- 
ponent, Avas disabled and compelled to 
leave for Norfolls:. This victory was 
hailed with joy at the North. 

AVhile these events were taking place 
on the coast the Unionists were making 
efforts to open the Mississippi Kiver to 
the commerce of the Northwest, and at 
the same time gain a base from which to 
advance upon the enemy's rear. The 
(Confederates' line extended from tlie Mis- 
sissi])pi Kiver to the Cumberland Moun- 
tains. In Januarv a battle was fousrht at 
Mill S[)ring, in Eastern Kentucky, in 
which both sides lost heavily. The Con- 
federates suffered defeat. 

The next [)oints of attack were two 
forts, Henry, on the Tennessee, and Donel- 
son, on the Cumbei-land Tliver. Early in 



318 HISTORY OF THE 



the year Commodore Foote was sent up 
the Tennessee with gunboats, and General 
Grant was to assist on land in the capture 
of Fort Henry. Before the arrival of 
Grant, however, the fort was evacuated, 
the garrison escaping to Donelson. 

Then both commanders started to at- 
tack Fort Donelson, which was strongly 
defended, and manned with ten thousand 
Confederates. 

On February 14 the gunboats were re- 
pulsed, and Commodore Foote wounded. 
For two days Grant fought bravely, ^vhen, 
on the 16th, General Buckner surrendered 
the fort with all his men. 

The immediate result of these victories 
was the evacuation of Kentucky and 
Cumberland by the South. 

After this battle General Grant as- 
cended the Tennessee to Pittsburg Land- 
ing, and formed a camp at Shiloli Church, 
not far from the river, ^vllere he was wait- 
ing for General Buell, with reeuforce- 
ments. Here he was suddenly attacke<l 
by the Confederates under Generals John- 
ston and Beauregard. The battle lasted 



UNITED STATES. 319 



all day, with fearful slaughter on both 
sides, and at nightfall the conflict was un- 
decided. In the night General Buell ar- 
i-ived, and on the following morning the 
attack was renewed. General Johnston, 
one of the ablest generals in the Confed- 
eracy, was killed, and General Beauregard 
was forced to retreat to Corinth. The 
losses on each side were more than ten 
thousand men. 

On the last day of the battle of Shiloh 
Commodore Foote, who from his gunboats 
had bombarded the Island No. 10 for 
twenty-three days, forced a surrender 
of the fort. The garrison attempted t<^ 
escape, but were taken, the number of 
prisoners being about five thousand. 
This opened the Mississippi as far down 
as Memphis, and this city was taken on 
June 6. 

On the 6th of the previous March the 
battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., was fought. 
The battle lasted two <lays, with hard iiglit- 
ino; on both sides. Though the Federals 
were victorious, little was gained by the 
eni^ai^ement. 



320 HISTORY OF THE 

In the summer and fall the Confeder- 
ate army remained inactive in Kentucky 
and Tennessee. General Bra<>:2:, ^vho had 
charge of a division of this anuy, is said 
to have gathered plunder enough during 
his stay in this region to fill a train forty 







COMBAT H KT W K 1 : N THE MONITOR AND M KKKI.MAC. 

miles long, and when chased by Buell, he 
retreated slowly, so as to give this valuable 
train a chance to get beyond reach of the 
Union troops. On the 19th of September 
a hard battle was fought at luka, in wliich 
the Confederates lost some one thousand 
])risoners, and on October 3 occurred the 
liattle of Corinth. Here the Confederates 
had the larger number, and probably \vould 
have gained the victory had not their Ijrave 



UNITED STATES. 



321 



leader, General Rogers, of Texas, been 
killed. After liis death a terrible hand- 
to-band fight took place which ended in 
the flight of the Southerners. 




GEN. EGBERT E. LEE. 



General Rosecrans, the hero of this bat- 
tle, after giving his troops tirue to rest, 
now advanced towards Miirfreesboro', 
where Bragg's army lay. On December 
30 the two armies met at Stone River. 

21 



322 HISTORY OF THE 

At first the battle seemed to belong to 
the Confederates, but at night Rosecrans 
held the field. For the next two days lit- 
tle was done, but on January 2 the fight 
was resumed, and Rosecrans was again 
victor. 

And now the most important act in the 
Southwest was to capture New Orleans. 
The Confederates had obstructed the chan- 
nel with chains, and had fire-rafts prepared 
for the destruction of any vessels that 
should appi'oach. Below the city and 
about seventy-five miles away were two 
strong forts. These Commodore Farragut 
cannonaded for three days with little ef- 
fect ; but on April 24, notwithstanding 
the heavy guns of the forts, the Union 
gunboats ran by them, overcame the 
obstruction in the river, and soon came 
within view of the city. Here Farragut 
witnessed a novel sight : a bonfire five 
miles long signalled his approach. The 
people of the city, seeing it was about to 
fall into Federal hands, had set fire to all 
the cotton and merchandise along the 
levee. 



I 



UNITED STATES. 323 

Vicksburg was still left to be taken. 
Two unsuccessful attempts were made 
against it ; then hopes of taking it were 
abandoned for the time. 

As soon as General McClellan was made 
commander of the Army of the Potomac 
he commenced reorganizing and drilling 
the raw men sent to the front, until he 
had made them the best-disciplined corps 
in the array. His duty was to advance to 
Richmond. As the region over which his 
army must pass was crossed by many 
rivers, it was thought best to cross over 
to Fortress Monroe, and fi'om there move 
onward to the Confederate capital. By 
March 4, the entire army of the Potomac 
had been transported to Fortress Monroe 
and were advancing toward Yorktown, 
which was garrisoned by 11,000 men un- 
der General Magruder. Tliese were so 
skilfully disposed that General McClel- 
lan refused to venture an assault, know- 
ing it would incur terrible carnage, so 
decided to take the place by siege. Ma- 
gruder retreated and McClellan's advance 
was delayed a month. After Yorktown 



824 HISTORY OF THE 

was taken tlie Union army pressed on to 
Williamsburg. Here the Confederates 
made a stand, their lines extending en- 
tirely across the peninsula, but after some 
hours of hard fighting they were forced to 
give way to McClellan, who pursued them 
in their retreat. Four days later an en- 
gagement at West Point took place, and 
the Confederates were as^ain forced to 
retreat. At this time troops were coming 
from all directions to defend their capital. 
The Union army was advancing along 
both sides of the peninsula, when, on 
May 31, their southern division was at- 
tacked at Fair Oaks, where a severe bat- 
tle was fought that lasted two days. 

Again the Southern army was repulsed 
and driven back toward Richmond. Gen. 
Joseph E. Johnston, the commander-in- 
chief of the Confederates, was wounded 
in the battle, and in two days his j^tlace 
was filled by Gen. Robert E. Lee, one of 
the best military leaders in America. 

At this time the Union army was within 
six miles of Richmond. The Northern 
fleet had approached up the James River 



I 



UNITED STATES. 325 

to about eiglit miles from the city, when 
they were stopped by a concentrated fire 
from the guns of Drewry's Bluff. On 
June 25 a small engagement took place 
at Oak Grove, and on the 26th a terii- 
ble engagement occurred at Mechanicsville, 
in which the Union army was victorious, 
but on tlie next morning Lee renewed the 
battle and won it. The next day was 
occupied with skirmishes. On the 29th 
McClellan's retreatins; forces were twice 
attacked — in the morning and afternoon — 
and on the 30th was fought the bloody 
battle of Fi'azier s Fai-m. That night 
found McClellan's army in a strong posi- 
tion on Malvern Hill, rendered safer by 
the Federal gunboats in the river. But 
General Lee determined to take this place 
by storm. The battle lasted all day and 
well into the night, before Lee's troops, 
thoroughly exhausted, were forced to fall 
back. For seven days these two armies 
had been fighting, and during that time 
about 20,000 men on each side had given 
up their lives. This is usually spoken of 
as the Seven Days' Battle. 



326 HISTORY OF THE 

CHAPTEK XXIX. 

LATER EVENTS OF THE WAR. 

After the battle of Malvern Hill tlie 
Federal army moved to Harrison's Land- 
ing and gave up the attempt to take 
Richmond for a time. The Confederate 
leaders, feeling assured that their own 
capital was safe, now turned their atten- 
tion toward Washington. 

At once the divisions under Generals 
Banks, Fremont, and McDowell were 
sent to defend that city, Generals Mc- 
Clellan and Pope advancing in another 
direction for the same purpose. 

On the 9th of August General Banks' 
division was met by Stonewall Jackson 
at Cedar Mountain, and a severe battle^ 
with no decided victory for either side, 
was fought. 

General Pope's army, now hastening 
toward the capital, was followed by Gen- 
eral Lee with a large part of the Confed- 
erate aiTuy. On August 29 and 30, a 
severe battle was fought on the old bat- 



UNITED STATES. 



327 



tie-grounds of Bull Run. At one time it 
seemed probable that Lee's army would be 
defeated, but Pope's reenforcements not 




STONEWALL JACKSON. 



coming in time, on the 31st, after three 
days of fighting, the Confederates were 
victorious. Thousands of brave men on 
both sides fell in this engagement, among 
whom were Generals Stevens and Kear- 



328 HISTORY OF THE 

ney. After tliis battle Pope liastened to 
the defence of Wasliington. 

General McClellan, discovering tliat the 
Confederates intended to invade Mary- 
land, hastened to its relief. 




VIEW OF ANTIETAM BATTLE-GROUND. 

Hagerstown and Harper's Ferry were 
already tat en ; at the latter place nearly 
12,000 prisoners were surrendered to 
Stonewall Jackson. McClellan's army 
was just in the rear of Lee, who fell 
back to Antietara Creek, near Sharps- 
burg, on the night of September 14, and 
took up a strong position there. The foh 



UNITED STATES. 



329 



l(nving day saw some fighting between the 
cavalry, but the 16th was spent in bring- 
ing the armies into position. The Fed- 
erals were strongest in numbers, but the 
Confederates had the better position. 




SCKNE IN FREUERirKSlJUIMi J'.EFORE THE BATTLE. 

On the morning of the 1 7th the battle 
opened, and for hours the victory was 
doubtful ; but late in the day reenforce- 
ments came up and General Lee was 
forced to retreat across the Potomac. 

It was now thought best for the Union 
army to advance upon Richmond again ; 



330 HISTORY OF THE 

but on November 7, Just as General 
McClellan had his army ready to move, 
he was superseded by General Burnside. 
This leader changed the plan of attack, 
but owing to delays a fortnight was lost 
in preparations. 

Durins; this time General Lee had 
strongly fortified the heights about Fred- 
ericksburg, through which the path of 
the Northern army lay. When, on De- 
cember 12, Burnside crossed the Rappa- 
hannock, he found every inch of his path- 
way covered by the enemy's guns. 

Notwithstanding this, he ordered an 
assault of the enemy's works, and the 
order was obeyed. Corps after corps ad- 
vanced and were mown down, until the 
ground ^vas solidly covered with dead and 
wounded. At last, forced to retreat, 15,- 
000 Northern men lay dead or wounded 
on the field. This ended the military 
engagements of 1862. 

On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln's 
proclamation, issued a few weeks before, 
declaring free "all slaves in those States 
or parts of States in rebellion against the 



UNITED STATES. 331 

government," went into effect. This was 
called " lite Emancipation Proclamation^ 

Early iu January General Grant was 
ordered to make another effort to capture 
Vicksburg. The Union troops embarked 
at Memphis and made several attempts to 
rout the enemy from the north, but find- 
ing this impossible, General Grant de- 
cided to run his fleet under the Vicks- 
burg batteries, so as to obtain a position 
from below. This was safely done one 
dark night in April. 

On the 30th of that month General 
Grant advanced against a division of the 
Confederates under General Pemberton, 
which had come to meet him. After 
considerable resistance, Pemberton's army 
was driven back into Vicksburg. On 
May 19, and again on the 22d, Grant's 
army assaulted the strong works before 
the city, but in both cases he was repulsed 
with a great loss of life. 

Seeing the city could not be taken by 
storm, the general now began , a regular 
siege, while Admiral Porter kept up a 
constant bombardment on the doomed 



332 HISTORY OF THE 

city. On tlie 4tli of July Pembertoii 
was forced to surrender, the garrison in 
the city being in a starving condition. 
So Vicksburg, with thirty thousand pris- 
oners, its arms and munitions, came into 
the hands of the Federals. Soon after 
tlie surrender of Vicksburg, Port Hudson 
was taken by General Banks, and the 
Mississippi became the possession of the 
Union. 

. For some time after the battle of Mur- 
freesboro' Kosecrans remained inactive, 
but early in summer he succeeded in 
crowding General Bragg from the moun- 
tains of East Tennessee into Georgia, 
after which he took up his position at 
Chattanooga. On September 19 and 20, 
Bi'agg, having received large reenforce- 
ments, turned upon Kosecrans and a very 
severe battle was fought at Chickamauga 
Creek. In this the Union army was re- 
pulsed and driven back into Chattanooga, 
Bragg followed them, and surrounding 
the town cut off their supplies, hoping to 
starve them into a surrender ; but at this 
juncture General Hooker arrived with 



UNITED STATES. 



333 




GEN. ULYSSES S. GRANT. 



834 HISTORY OF THE 

forces, opened the Tennessee Kiver, and 
brought relief to the garrison. 

After his brilliant exploit at Vicks- 
burg, General Grant was promoted to 
commander-in-chief of the Army of the 
West. He at once prepared to relieve 
Chattanooga. General Sherman arrived 
at this time w^ith his division. 

Bragg's army held the heights above 
the town, his right wing resting on Mis- 
sionary Ridge and his left on Lookout 
Mountain. He not only commanded the 
town but the various roads leading to it. 
General Thomas being ordered to take 
Orchard Knob, a position held by an 
advance force, did it so quietly that the 
position -was his before the Confederate 
reenforcements could reach the place. 

On November 23 General Sherman 
took the north end of the Kidge, and the 
followiuo* momino; General Grant ordered 
an assault on the enemy's centre. A 
dense fog hanging over the mountain 
concealed the movements of the Union 
troops, who began a charge under Gen- 
eral Hooker. In two hours the rifle-pits 



UNITED STATES. 



335 



at the base of the mountain had been 
taken. Then the men, Avild with en- 
thusiasm, dashed up the mountain-side, 
drivins; the Confederate o-unners before 
them. On the following day the battle 
was renewed on the southwestern portion 
of Missionary Ridge. That afternoon or- 




UNITED STATES IRONCLAD. 



ders were given by General Grant for 
an assault along the whole line. The 
command ^vas Joyfully obeyed, and a 
repetition of the scene of the day before 
at Lookout Mountain was enacted. That 
night General Bragg marched his re- 
maining troops toward Kinggold, Ga. 
This ended the war in Tennessee for a 
time. 

Early in the year another attempt was 
made to take Richmond. General Hooker, 



336 



HISTORY OF THE 



who liacl succeeded Burnside, crossed the 
ii\'er at Chancellorsville while General 




MAP OK GETTYSBURC. 



Lee's attention was taken by a division 
at Fredericksburg. But hearing of Hook- 
er's advance, Lee hastily seut Stonewall 



UNITED STATES. 



337 




338 HISTORY OF THE 

Jackson to dispute it. This general put 
himself at the head of his troops and 
fought with such vigor that Hooker was 
driven back. That evening, in the dim 
twilight, the brave Jackson was uninten- 
tionally shot by a bullet from his own 
men, and only lived a week. Thus ended 
one of the noblest as well as bravest of 
the Confederate generals. 

The next morning the battle was re- 
newed and lasted all day, with a terri- 
ble loss of life on both sides. At nio;ht 
Hooker was driven back to the Kappa- 
hannock. On May 5, General Sedgwick, 
who had come to reenforce the Federal 
army, was also repulsed. Hooker then 
crossed the river, having gained nothing 
b}^ this fearful loss of men. 

Lee, encouraged by these victories, start- 
ed at once to again invade the North, prin- 
cipally to obtain supplies for his army. 
These he readily obtained in the unpro- 
tected States of Pennsylvania and Mary- 
land. 

General Meade, being placed in com- 
mand of the Army of the Potomac, at 



y 



UNITED STATES. 



339 



once advanced to cbeck Lee, and over- 
took liiui at the little village of Gettys- 
burg, near the southern border of Penn- 
sylvania. 

On July 1, the struggle began on the 




DRAFTING. 



road between Gettysburg and Hagers- 
town. That afternoon a severe battle 
took 2^1ace on Seminary Kidge, a line of 
hills on the west side of the village. 
The Confederates were victorious and 
gained possession of tlie hill. The Union 
line was forced backward to Cemetery 
Hill, where its centre, under General 
Hancock, was posted. On the next day, 



340 HISTORY OF THE 

July 2, the left wing was driven from its 
position, but succeeded in making a stand 
further back. During the night arrange- 
ments were made by both generals to 
renew the battle on the morrow. The 
preparations were continued during the 
morning, but at one p.m. General Lee 
opened his heavy guns upon the Union 
troops. For an hour the hills were shaken 
by the mighty thunder of artillery. This 
iire was concentrated upon Cemetery Hill, 
which soon became the scene of the most 
terrible agony and death. For a short 
time silence reigned, then Lee's troops, a 
magnificent column nearly three miles 
long, headed by brave Virginians under 
General Pickett, emerged from their bat- 
teries, and made a final and desperate 
charge upon the Federal centre. These 
brave men were mowed down by the 
Union guns in such numbers that great 
gaps were made in the line. Still they 
pressed on until, swept by the great guns 
of Cemetery Hill, they were forced to re- 
treat. 

A2:ain the Union army was victorious, 



UNITED STATES. 341 



but it lost ill this greatest battle of the 
war 23,000 men, while the Confederates' 
loss was estimated at over 30,000. 

The next day Lee retreated with his 
disabled army, and escaped across the 
Potomac. 

The terrible battles of the last two 
years had used up thousands of men on 
both sides, and the war now appeared a 
much more serious thing than it did at 
the beginning of the strife. The Presi- 
dent, finding it impossible to raise men 
by any other method, instituted drafting 
as a means of replenishing the army. In 
New York City this measure met with 
much opposition, and on July 13, a 
vast mob rose in arms, tore down build- 
ings, burned the colored orphan asylum, 
and killed nearly a hundred inoffensive 
people, mostly colored, before the authori- 
ties could quell it. 

Again in 1804 the campaign began in 
the West. General Sherman, in the be- 
ginning of February, left Vicksburg for 
the purpose of destroying the principal 
railroads of Eastern Mississippi. He pro- 



342 mSTORY OF THE 

ceeded to Chattanooga, and from there, on 
May 7, against Atlanta, an important rail- 
road centre and manufacturing city. His 
advance was disputed at Dalton by Gen. 
J. E. Johnston, whose position was very 
strong. But after some manceuvring 




m 



SHERMAN S HEADQUARTERS IN ATLANTA. 

and fighting, Sherman forced the Con- 
federates back to Resaca. On May 14, 
and 15, this jjlace was taken, and Johnston 
fell back to Kenesaw Mountain. 

On the 27tli of June Sherman suffered 
a repulse, but on the follo\ving day com- 
pelled Johnston to fall back to Lost Moun- 
tain. On the 3d of July the Confeder- 
ates retreated across the river, and a few 



I 



UNITED STATES. 343 

more days found them within the limits 
of Atlanta. 

About this time Johnston was sup- 
planted by General Hood, of the Confed- 
eracy, who made three desperate assaults 
upon the Federal troops near Atlanta, but 
was repulsed with great loss. General 
Sherman decided to take the place by a 
siege, and having destroyed the main rail- 
road at the south of the city, over which 
all supplies were brought, in a month he 
compelled an evacuation of the city, and 
made his headquarters in one of its build- 
ings. 

For another month Sherman remained 
at Atlanta, then, setting fire to that city, 
on November 14 commenced his memor- 
able "March to the Sea." 

Having divested his anny of 65,000 
men of everything not absolutely neces- 
sary, he cut off all communications, and 
struck out boldly for the sea-coast two 
hundred and fifty miles to the east. Ad- 
vancing in two columns over a wide belt, 
his army subsisted upon the country they 
passed through. Tn a little more than a 



34i 



HISTORY OF THE 



month, December 21, lie reached the sea 
Here capturing Fort McAllister, he had 
little trouble in takiug Savannah, where 
he ate his Christmas dinner of 1864. 
General Grant was now commander-in- 




SHERMAN S HEADQUARTERS IN SAVANNAH. 



chief of the Army of the Potomac. Again 
an effort was to ])e made to take Ilich- 
raond, and Grant, with an army of 100,000 
men, crossed the Rajiidan River for the 
purpose of cutting Lee off from that capi- 
tal. But on May 5, and 6, the two armies 
met in a severe conflict in a wild, lonely 
region known as the Wilderness. Owing 



UNITED STATES. 845 

to General Lee's knowledge of the coun- 
ti'}', he gained what advantage there was 
in inflicting a heavy loss upon the Union 
army. Grant did not retreat, however, 
across the river, but moved toAvard Spott- 
sylvania Court-House. 

Here for three days, beginning with the 
9th, occurred one of the most sanguinary 
struggles of the war. The loss to both 
armies was great, but the Federals suf- 
fered the most. 

After the battle of Spottsylvania Grant 
again outflanked Lee, crossed the Pamun- 
key, and came to Cold Harbor, which the 
Confederates, knowing the roads better, 
had already reached and stationed them- 
selves to contest the passage further. 
This place was twelve miles from llich- 
raond. Grant at once opened the attack 
on June 3, with a loss of 10,000 men. 

General Grant now decided to move his 
men to the south bank of the James, in- 
tending to capture Petersburg, and ad- 
vance upon Richmond from thence. 

Aifairs in the Shenandoah Valley now 
required attention. General Sigel, who 



846 HISTORY OF THE 

had been sent up the valley with 8,000 
men, was attacked at New Market, May 
15, and routed. His forces were then 
transferred to General Hunter. At first 
this general was successful, but at Lynch- 
burg lie also was routed, and his army 
sent flying over into West Virginia. 

The Confederates now made an attempt 
to reach Washington by way of the Shen- 
andoah valley. Soon it was met by Gen. 
Lew Wallace, whose small force, after a 
brave resistance, was overcome, and Gen- 
eral Early, the leader of the division, hur- 
ried forward toward the capital. But 
finding its defences stronger than he 
had supposed, and hearing that General 
Wright with a large force was after him, 
the Confederate general retreated through 
Pennsylvania, devastating the farming 
country as he went. 

In the middle of August General Sher- 
idan was made commander of the army 
on the Upper Potomac. Hastening after 
Early, he defeated him on Sej)tember 19, 
at Winchester, and on the 21st at Fisher's 
Hill. And now began the work of devas- 



UNITED STATES. 34Y 

tatiug the Shenandoah Valley. Sheridan 
burned the buildings and crops, and drove 
the cattle off, so that the Confederates 
would not be tempted to make another 
raid on this fertile region. 

Petersburg was so strongly defended 
that, though Grant made various attempts 
to assault it, the forces were repulsed in 
each instance ; and the year drew to an 
end with Grant's army still some distance 
from Richmond. 

In February General Sheridan gained 
a victory over Early at Waynesboro', 
and tlien made his way forward to Peters- 
burg. The battle at Five Forks, on April 
1, ended victoriously for the Federalists, 
and on the 2d Petersburg was taken. 
The Confederate officers, having first set 
fire to the city, escaped to Richmond. On 
the next morning, April 3, Richmond, so 
long fought for and for which so many 
thousand lives had been given, was en- 
tered by General Grant and his army. 

Not being able to flee toward the 
South, Lee proceeded westward, closely 
followed by the Federals. On the Gth of 



348 HISTORY OF THE 

April a sevei'e battle was foiight at Dea= 
tonsville, in which 6,000 Confederate 
troojis were captured by Sheridan. 

But Lee and his main army hastening 
on had reached the Appomattox, crossed 
and burned the bridges, hoping that this 
woukl save him by giving him time to reach 
General Johnston's army from Carolina. 

On the morning of April 7, Greneral 
Sheridan pushed forward to gain posses- 
sion of seven provision trains which were 
at Appomattox. To make sure of captur- 
ing these, Sheridan sent General Custer, 
with his division, to destroy the roads to 
the rear. But the train-men discovered 
this movement and succeeded in running 
off three of the trains. General Custer cap- 
tured and held the other four. When Lee's 
army appeared on the following morning, 
April 9, they were surprised to see the 
Union troops, and fought desperately to 
get possession of the provisions; but 
though they did succeed in burning one 
train, they were unable to get any of the 
contents. Acrain a severe encracjement 
took place, when suddenly, just as the 



UNITED STATES. 349 

Union troops realized victory was certain, 
a white flag was raised by tlie Confeder- 
ate general. 

For several hours General Grant had 
been detained at a farm-house some dis- 
tance in the rear of his main array, with a 
severe sick headache, which he had been 
trying to relieve during the night. But 
though it still ached savagely, he now 
pushed his way forward toward tlie 
scene of the conflict. In order to reach 
this he was obliged to go several miles 
out of his way to avoid the Confederate 
lines, which stretched between him and 
the Union army. For two days he had 
been corresponding with Lee, hoping to 
put an end to the struggle in that part of 
the country at least. The first of these 
communications, sent by Grant from Farm- 
ville, was as follows : 

''April T, 1865. 
" General : — The result of the last week 
must convince you of the hopelessness of 
further resistance on the part of the Army 
of Northern Virginia in this struggle. I 
feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty 



350 BTSTOBY OF TEE 

to shift from myself the responsibility of 
any further effusion of blood, by asking 
of you the surrender of that portion of the 
Confederate States army known as the 
Army of Northern Virginia. 

"U. S. GEANT, 

"■ lAeutenant- General. 
"Gen. R. E.Lee." 

Lee answered that though he did not 
entertain Grant's opinion concerning the 
hopelessness of further resistance on the 
part of the Army of Northern Virginia, 
he did recipi'ocate his desire to avoid 
useless effusion of blood, and further 
requested the Union general to give the 
terms he would offer on condition of its 
surrender. 

Several notes upon this subject passed 
between the two, of which Sheridan and the 
other officers now fighting knew nothing. 
So it was not surprising that they hesi- 
tated to reply when General Lee requested 
a suspension of hostilities until General 
Grant could be communicated with. 
Knowing that no power could now help 
the Confederate army if they continued 



\ 



UNITED STATES. 351 

to fight, they mistrusted this might be 
a ruse to save some part of Lee's forces. 
Keluctantly they agreed to suspend fight- 
ing for two hours ; but fearing Grant could 
not be reached in that time, Lee sent an 
escort with the ofticer bearing the follow- 
ing message through the Confederate 
lines : 

" April 9, 1 865. 
" General : — I received your note of this 
morning on the picket-line, whither I had 
come to meet you and ascertain definitely 
what terms Avere embraced in your pro- 
posal of yesterday with reference to the 
surrender of this army. I now request 
an interview in accordance with the offer 
contained in your letter of yesterday for 
that purpose. 

"K. E. LEE, 

" General. 
" Lieut.-Get^. U. S. Grant, 

" Comiiianding JJ. S. Armies^ 

General Grant said afterward that 
though his head was still aching badly 
when the messenger ari'ived, it was cured 
the instant he saw the contents of the 
note. He wrote a reply saying he would 



352 HISTORY OF THE 



hasten forward, and begging Lee to send 
Lini woi'd on the road where he wished the 
interview to take place. 

This was at the house of a Mr. McLean, 
at Appomattox Coui't-house, whei'e Gene- 
ral Lee and one of his staff-officers, Colo- 
nel Marshall, were awaiting him. The 
Confederate o:eneral was dressed in a 
handsome full uniform, and wore at his 
side a valuable sword. He was a tall, 
dignified man, of magnificent physique, 
and made an imposing appearance as he 
stood awaiting his adversary. 

General Grant, not expecting such a 
meeting, had on a simple blue army shirt, 
the garb of a common soldier, with only 
the shoulder-straps of his rank to indicate 
to the army who he was. He was with- 
out a sword, as was his custom when on 
horseback on the field. 

Upon his entering the room the two 
generals shook hands and began a pleas- 
ant conversation, bringing forward remi- 
niscences of the old Mexican War, in 
which both had served. 

After a while the matter which had 



I 



VNITED STATES. 353 

brought them together was considered, 
and General Lee suggested that the terms 
of surrender should be written out. Gen- 
eral Grant called for paper and at once 
commenced writing. He says in his ^'Per- 
sonal Memoirs " that when he put his pen 
to the paper he did not know the first 
word he should use in writing the terms. 
He simply knew what was in his mind, 
and wished to express it clearly, so that 
there should be no mistaking it. 

Had he taken hours to compose it, he 
could not hav^e improved upon the follow- 
ing, the result of a fe^v minutes' writing; 

"Appomattox C. H., Va., 
April 9, 1865. 
"Gen. R. E. Lee, 

" Commanding C. S. A. 
" General : — In accordance with the sub- 
stance of my letter to you of the 8th inst., 
I propose to receive the surrender of the 
Army of Northern Virginia on the follow- 
ing terms, to wit : Rolls of all the officers 
and men to be made in duplicate. One 
copy to be given to an officer designated 
by me, the other to be retained by such 
officer or officers as you may designate. 

23 



354 HISTORY OF THE 

Tlie officers to give their individual pa- 
roles not to take up arms ag-aiust the gov- 
ernment of the United States until prop- 
erly exchanged, and each company or regi- 
mental commander sign a like parole for 
the men of their commands. The arms, 
artillery, and public property to be packed 
and stacked, and turned over to the offi- 
cers appointed by me to receive them. 
This will not eni])race the side-arms of the 
officers, nor their private horses or bag- 
gage. This done, each officer and man 
will be allowed to return to their homes, 
not to be disturbed by United States 
authority so long as they observe their 
paroles, and the laws in force where they 
may reside. 

" Very respectfully, 

"U. S. GRANT, 

" Lieutenant- General^ 

General Lee was much imjiressed by 
the humane spirit that prompted , this let- 
ter, and told Grant that it would no doubt 
have a happy effect upon his army. He 
then asked if the conunon soldiers would 
retain their horses, remarking that nearly 
all the cavalrymen and artillerists owned 
those they used. 



UNITED STATES. 355 



Again General Grant showed the sim- 
ple, kindly spirit that had actuated him 
throughout this transaction. He knew 
that most of the men in the Southern 
ranks Nvere small fai-mers, and in a coun- 
try ravaged by two armies they would 
need all the aids they could have to se- 
cure sufficient crops to carry themselves 
and their families through the following 
Avinter. The North he knew did not need 
these animals, so he promised to let every 
man who owned a horse or mule take it 
to his home. After this remark Genei'al 
Lee seated himself and ^vTote the follow- 
ing reply : 

" Headquakters Army of N. Va,, 
A2ynl 9, 1865. 
" General : — I received your note of this 
date, containing the terms of the surren- 
der of the Army of Northern Virginia, as 
proposed by you. As they are substan- 
tially the same as those expressed in your 
letter of the 8th iust., they are accepted. 
I will proceed to designate the pro[)er 
officers to carry the stipulations into 
effect. ' "R. E. LEE, 

" Genei'al. 
'' Lieut.-Gen. U. S. Grant." 



366 HISTORY OF THE 

After Lee's departure, General Grant 
sent the following telegram to Wash- 
ington : 

"Headquarters, Appomattox C. H., Va., 

Aprils, 1865, 4:30 p.m. 
"Hon. E. M. Stanton, SecretaTy of War, 
Washington : 
"General Lee surrendered the Army of 
Northei'n Viro-inia this afternoon on terms 
proposed by myself. The accompanying 
additional correspondence will show the 
conditions fully. 

"U. S. GRANT, 

" Lieutenant- GeneraV 

Then Grant sent word for his men, who 
had commenced firing salutes in honor of 
the victory as soon as they heard of it, to 
stop, remarking that now the Confeder- 
ates were theii* prisoners, it was not be- 
coming to exult over their downfall. 

The next day Grant started for Wash- 
ington to stop the purchase of supplies 
for his army, but before he left he made 
another call upon Lee. For half an hour 
or more the generals chatted pleasantly, 
while some of the Union officers, obtain- 



UNITED STATES. 357 

iiig permission of General Lee, went inside 
the Confederate lities to visit some of tlieir 
old friends. Later, many of the Confed- 
ei'ate officers came to General Grant's 
headquarters, and seemed to enjoy meet- 
ing the officers they had but recently 
fought against, as though they had always 
been fighting under the same flag. 

It W'as not until after his surrender that 
the desperate condition to which his army 
had been reduced was generally known. 
The Confederate soldiers were literally 
starving. Since April 5 they had had 
nothing to eat excej)ting what they saved 
from their rations of that date. Those 
faring best supported life on a few hand- 
fuls of corn. Everything that could sup- 
ply nutriment was eaten, even to the buds 
on the trees. 

On the 3d of April a train of supplies 
was expected at Amelia Court-house, 
where Lee expected to ration his men ; 
but upon reaching the place he found 
that owing to some mistake the cars had 
passed on to Richmond without leaving a 
morsel of the food so much needed by his 



358 HISTORY OF THE 

men. Upon surrendering his army, Gen- 
eral Lee was forced to beg of the Union 
commander rations for his army, both 
men and beasts. 

Soon after he took leave of the brave 
men who had fought so nobly for the 
cause they believed to be right, with 
these simple but heartfelt words : 

"■ Men, we have fought through the war 
together. I have done the best I could 
for you." 

General Grant's capturing the Army of 
Northern Virginia virtually closed the w ar, 
in which half a million Northern men, 
and nearly the same number from the 
South, sacrificed their lives. There are 
buried in the national cemeteries alone 
three hundred and eighteen thousand 
eight hundred and seventy of these brave 
men. 

It is said that these numbers would 
have been greatly increased had it not 
been for the very efficient ambulance sys- 
tem and excellent medical service of our 
Northern armies. Thousands of our 
ablest surgeons offered their services to 



UNITED STATES. 359 



tlieir country, and many lost their lives 
on the battle-fields while ministering to 
the wounded. Women in all stations of 
life, from the high-born, delicately bred 
lady to the robust farmers daughter, or 
hard-working serving-maid or factory 
girl, gave their time and- energies as 
nurses in the hospitals, and to their un- 
tiring attentions many men hale and 
hearty to-day owe their lives. 

According to one authority, the North- 
ern losses by death are as follows : 

Killed in battle, . . . 44,238 
Died of wounds, . . . 49,205 

Accidental, 526 

Disease, 186,216 

Unknown, 24,184 



304,369 

This does not include the great number 
who died at home during the war from 
the effects of wounds, exposure, or dis- 
ease contracted while in the service. 

I have been unable to find any record 
of the losses of the Southern army, ex 



360 HISTORY OF THE 

cepting the simple statement previously 
made, that the number nearly or quite 
equalled that of the North. 

Durino; the war there were some two 
thousand four hundred actions suffciently 
important to be remembered by name ; 
and of these there 'were one hundi'ed and 
fifty in which over five hundred lives 
were lost. 

The Confederate army numbered, at 
the time of its final surrender, one hun- 
dred and seventy-five thousand men. 

And now the rejoicing at the North 
knew no bounds. Our President, who 
had been bowed down with the heaviest 
responsibility man was. ever called ujion 
to bear, went, on April 14, to Ford's 
Theatre with a lighter heart than he had 
felt for years. Sitting in his private box 
with his wife and a party of friends, he 
was suddenly shot by a cowardly assassin, 
a disreputable actor named John Wilkes 
Booth. Mr. Lincoln fell forward and was 
borne to a neighboring house, where he 
died the following morning. 

So in the midst of her rejoicing our 



UNITED STATES. 361 

country was called iipou to mourn the 
loss of a President who had endeared 
himself to the hearts of the entire people. 

Booth was discovered concealed in a 
barn south of Fredericksburg on the 26th 
of April, where, refusing to surrender, he 
was shot, and then dragged from the burn- 
ino; buildino^ to die. Several of his fellow- 
conspirators were condemned and hanged. 

When it became evident that Richmond 
would be taken, Jefferson Davis, Presi- 
dent of the Confederacy, decided to re- 
move to some place of safety. He wished 
to keep as near General Lee as possible, 
so selected Charlotte, N. C, for the ^uv- 
pose, and immediately sent Mrs. Davis 
and his children, in the care of a tiust- 
worthy friend, on their journey hence. 

On the night l^efore the Union army 
entered the city, Mr. Davis, witli his ser- 
vants and a number of government offi- 
cers, left Richmond for Danville. Learn- 
ing liere of Lee's surrender, they decided 
to hasten foiward to Charlotte. The 
railroads were in ])ad condition, so the 
journey was necessarily slow, and the 



362 



HISTORY OF THE 



Confederate leader and his companions 
were obliged to remain in the cars, even 
when the stops were ft^r hours, as no one 
along the route cai'ed to invite them to 
their homes. The sympathy with the 
Southei-n cause was not as strong in this 
part of the country as in most other por- 
tions of the Sonth. 

When not far from Charlotte it was 
learned that Mrs. Davis had fled further 
south, though no one knew exactly where, 
and about the same time Mr. Davis re- 
ceived the intelligence that President Lin- 
coln had been assassinated. Though none 
knew by whose hand, or indeed any par- 
ticulars of the crime, Mr. Davis and his 
companions felt that in Mi". Lincoln's 
death they had lost their only refuge in 
this their great emergency, and only re- 
gret and surprise were the sentiments 
expressed. Li a few days Mr. Davis, 
becoming extremely anxious concerning 
his wife and children, started foi' x\bbe- 
ville, where he thought they might be, 
intending to jnake them a flying visit 
before joining the Trans-Mississippi De- 



UNITED STATES. 363 

partment. But before he reached this 
place Mrs. Davis had again flown toward 
Florida, hoping to escape from thence to 
some foreign port. 

Hastening forward, he overtook the 
party accompanying his wife at midnight, 
while they were camping for the night. 
Here he remained two days ; then, urging 
those wlh) had cliai'ge of his ^vife to 
hasten onward, he again left for Abbe- 
ville. But later he once more paid a visit 
to his terrified family. On the following 
morning a party of Union troops passing 
by entered the camp. 

No one of Mrs. Davis's escort knew 
that her husband was present, as he had 
come the previous night to supper and 
had declared his intention of leaving some 
time in the night ; so they were quite sur- 
prised to see him emerge from the back 
part of the tent and make for the woods, 
while Mrs. Davis conversed with the 
Union soldier at the front. But the 
eyes of the latter were sharp, and noting 
the retreating figure, he commanded it to 
halt ; then, perceiving it did not obey, was 



364 



HISTORY OF THE 



about to fire. Mrs. Davis, overcorae with 
fright, gave a terrified screech, which 
caused her husband to turn and hasten to 
her side. 

Two or three other soldiers had now 




DAVIS S PRISON, FORTRESS MONROE. 

come up, and one of them, catching a 
glimpse of the gentleman's face, cried : 

" Mr. Davis, surrender ! I recognize 
you, sir." He had seen several of the 
jihotographs which were circulated among 
the Northern soldiers as means of identi- 
fying the Confederate President should 
they ever come upon him, and from these 



UNITED STATES. 



365 



he knew the original. The camp where 
Jefferson Davis was captured was not far 
from Irwinsville, Ga., and the time May 
11, 1865. 

Mr. Davis was taken to Fortress Mon- 
roe, where he was imprisoned for many 
months. He died in 1 889. 



360 HISTORY OF THE 



CHAPTER XXX. 

FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME. 

A FEW hours after Mr. Lincoln had 
breathed his last, the Vice-President, An- 
drew Johnson, took the oath of office, which 
made him the seventeenth President of 
the United States. Mr. Johnson's was a 
case in which a man, by his own exertions 
and strong will, had raised himself from a 
humble position to the highest in tlie 
land. In early life he learned the tailor's 
trade, and having no chance to attend 
school, learned to read while an appren- 
tice. Later he i-emoved to Tennessee, 
where he married an intelligent lady who 
taught him to write and ciphei*. He had 
much native talent and a strong will, and 
by means of these he rose to distinction. 
He was made a member of the United 
States Senate in 1860, and in 1862 mili- 
tary governor of Tennessee. 

According to the Constitution, no State 
could leave the Union by its own sole 
act. The Confederate States were, conse- 



UNITED STATES, 



367 




APRIL 15, 1866 



ANUKEW JOHNSON. 



mm 



368 HISTORY OF THE 

quently, still a part of the United States, 
tliougli their inhabitants had taken up arms 
and waged war upon its govei'nment. In 
consequence of this they had forfeited 
their civil and property rights, and it was 
necessary that something should at once be 
done to restore as far as possible the con- 
dition of affairs before the war. So on 
May 29, 1865, President Johnson issued 
The Amnesty Proclamation. 

By this every one wlio had participated 
in the rebellion, excepting certain promi- 
nent classes, upon taking an oath of alle- 
giance to the United States, had i-estored 
to him his rights as a citizen, and whatever 
of his property that had escaped desti'uc- 
tion, excepting, of course, all slaves, which 
were now free. Indeed, the oath of alle- 
giance, as well as the proclamation, ex- 
pressly sustained the emancipation of the 
slaves. 

During Mr. Johnson's administration 
the postal money-order system was estab- 
lished in the United States. The sub- 
marine Atlantic telegraph was success- 
fully laid in July, 1866, after twelve years 



UNITED STATES. 



369 




ULVSSKb S. GKANT. 



ISO;, 



1877 



S4 



370 



HISTORY OF THE 



of uiireiiiittiug effort on the part of Mr. 
Field, its originator. 

Ou March 30, 1867, Alaska was bought 




HORACE (iRKKLEY. 



from Russia by tlie United States for tlie 
sum of seven million two hun(b-ed tliou- 
sand dollars. 

Upon the expiration of President John- 
son's term of office, Ulysses S. Grant was 
almost unanimouslv elected President, 



UNITED STATES. 371 

On Marcli 4, 1869, lie became tlie eigh- 
teenth Pi'esident of the nation. 

President Grant was greatly beloved by 
all the people, for it was through his wise 
efforts that tlie war liad been brouglit to 
a close. The first event of interest after 
his inauguration was the completion of 
the Central Pacific Railroad, commenced 
so many years befoi'e. But his adminis- 
tration was not one of unmixed prosperity. 
In the autunm of 18<>9 a great financial 
panic occurred. That same year the coun- 
try was called upon to mourn the death of 
Edwin M. Stanton. During the following 
year the brave Confederate general, Robert 
E. Lee, died, his loss being soon followed 
by that of Admiral Farragut. William 
H. Seward, the Secretary of War dur- 
ing Lincoln's administration, and Horace 
Greeley, the greatest Journalist of the age, 
died within a few months of each other in 
1872. 

During this year President Grant was 
reelected to his ofiice, the latter years of 
which saw considerable disturbance in 
the western sections of the country, among 



372 



HISTORY OF THE 



the Indians. During this period a series 
of Indian wars took place, in which the 
brave General Custer fell. 

In 1874 Charles Sumner, who had been 




CHARLES SUMNER. 



one of the most active anti-slavery men 
of the North, died, greatly lamented by a 
large body of friends. 

In tlie Presidential election of 1876 tlie 
contest was very close, and each party 



UNITED STATES, 373 



I 




RUTHERFORU B. HAYES^. 

1877 1881 



374 HISTORY OF THE 

claimed the victory for its own candidate. 
A commission at last settled the dispute, 
and Rutherford B. Hayes became the 
nineteenth President of the United States. 
Mr. Hayes had won high distinction as 
a lawyer before the war called him to the 
field, so he came to the Presidential chair 
peculiarly fi.tted for his position, as at this 
time several important political questions 
were awaiting decision. The most im- 
portant of these was the reform of the 
civil service. Ever since Jackson's ad- 
ministration the principal offices of the 
government had in a greater or less de- 
gree been proffered to friends of the party 
in power, the favored of the retiring 
party being ruthlessly set aside, without 
any reference being made to their official 
record, to make room for the new-comers ; 
political power, not fitness for the office, 
being the necessary credentials of the of- 
fice-seeker. Popular sentiment demanded 
that this system should be reformed, and 
President Hayes attempted to do it by 
introducino; the " Civil Service Keforni " 
bill, which provided that office-holders 



I 



UNITED STATES. 375 




JAMES A. QABFIELD. 

xMARCH 4, 1881 SEPT. 19, 18»1 



376 HISTORY OF THE 

under our government should not be dis- 
missed without good cause, or promoted 
except for fidelity and merit. For this 
brave stand Mr. Hayes will ever hold the 
esteem and affection of all earnest, deep- 
thinking men. 

Mr. Hayes was greatly aided in his 
various works of reform by his able and 
accomplished wife, Mrs. Lucy W. Webb 
Hayes, ^\hose cordial manner and kindly 
ways soon endeared her to the hearts of 
the people. Ever anxious to help others, 
she began by setting a brave example in 
her own home. A strong friend of temper- 
ance, she allowed no wine upon her table 
during her four years' residence in the 
White House. 

In remembrance of the no}:)le fight 
against alcohol, the Woman's National 
Teinj^erance Association has placed in the 
Green Room of the White House a life- 
size portrait of Mrs. Hayes, by Hunting- 
ton. 

On Marct 4, 1881, James A. Garfield 
became the twentieth President of the 
nation. Ao^ain we have a President who 



UNITED STATES. 



377 




CHliSTKR A. ARTHUB. 



SEPTEMBER 19, 1881 



1885 



378 HISTORY OF THE 

worked his way to fame under adverse 
circumstances. Being deprived of a fathei' 
in eai'lv life, his trainino- fell to a brave 
mother's care, who worked hard that her 
four children should be brought up well. 
J. A. Gariield o;raduated with the highest 
honors of his class from Williams College, 
Mass. He fought in the late war, and for 
his bravery was given the commission of 
major-general. He was sent to Congress 
in 1863, and was reelected to his office 
nine times ; then he was called to the 
highest office in our land. 

On the morning of July 2 the Presi- 
dent, in company with Secretary Blaine 
and a few fi'iends, entered the Baltimore 
depot at Washington, intending to take 
the train for Long Branch, wliere his sick 
wife was staying. A moment later he was 
shot at by a miserable character named 
Charles J. Guiteau. The wounded Presi- 
dent was at once conveyed to the Execu- 
tive Mansion, where he commenced his 
long fight with death. At last, after 
months of intense suifering, and on the 
anniversary of the battle of Cliickamauga, 



I 



UNITED STATES. 



379 




1885 



liKOVKll CLKVEI.ANL). 



1880 



380 HISTORY OF TEE 

in which lie won Lis chief military repu- 
tation, death relieved him of his pain. 
Again our country was shrouded in 
mournino;, for another was added to the 
list of martyred Presidents. 

On the following day Vice-President 
Arthur became the twenty-first President 
of the United States. His administration 
was rendered memorable by the advance- 
ment that science made in many direc- 
tioDS. Electricity for some time had been 
experimented with, \vith a hope of obtain- 
ing a number of results. About this 
time the telephone was perfected by 
Prof. A. Graham Bell, of the Massa- 
chusetts Institute of Technology. Thomas 
A. Edison about the same time produced 
a similar instrument, and soon after gave 
his phonograph to the world. 

On Mny 24, 1883, the great bridge 
si)anning the East River, and connecting 
the cities of New York and Brooklyn, 
was formally opened to the public. The 
bridge, the longest and largest structure 
of its kind in the world, was designed by 
the distinguished engineer, John A. Poeb 



UNITED STATES. 



381 




1889 



BENJAMIN HARRISON. 



382 HISTORY OF THE 

ling, under wliose personal supervision it 
was built. 

On Marcli 4, 1885, Grover Cleveland, 
the twenty- second President of our nation, 
took the oath of office, and for the first 
time in many years the Democratic party 
Avas in power. Like most of his prede- 
cessors, Mr. Cleveland was a noted law- 
yer. In 1881 he began his political career 
by becoming the mayor of Buffalo. In 
1882 he was made governor of New 
York, and while still in this office was 
called to a higher, the President of the 
United States. 

On July 28, 1885, Gen. Ulysses S. 
Grant, after a long and painful illness, 
died at a summer cottage on Mount 
McGregor, in tlie Adirondacks, and the 
nation once more was shrouded in mourn- 
'\\\\f. Only a few weeks later Gen. George 
B. McClellan died at his home in Orange, 
N. J., and within four months from his 
funeral Gen. AVinfield S. Hancock fell. 
On November 25, 1885, Vice-President 
Thomas A. Hendricks died very suddenly, 
and on March 5, 1887, Henry Ward 



UNITED STATES. 383 

Beeclier, the great preacher and philan- 
thropist, fell by a stroke of apoplexy. 

Upon the close of Mr. Cleveland's ad- 
ministration Benjamin Harrison, grandson 
of President Harrison, was placed at the 
head of our nation. During the wai* Mr. 
Harrison went to the front, and steadily 
rose in position until he reached that of 
general. In 1881 he became a mem- 
ber of the United States Senate, which 
office he held until obliged to relinquish 
it for that of President. 

Durino; President Hari'isons administra- 
tion, and within the twelvemonth ending 
July, 1890, six new States were added to 
the Union, embracing nearly two-thirds of 
a million of square miles, an area compris- 
ing one and one-half times the extent of 
the original thirteen States. 

By the admission of Idaho on July 4, 
1890, an unbroken band of States was 
formed, extending from tlie Atlantic to 
the Pacific Ocean. Until within a com- 
paratively short time much of this great 
Northwest has been almost unknown, 
Dakota and Washington Territories being 



384 HISTORY OF THE 

great, unexplored regions, only inhabited 
by Indians and immense herds of roaming 
buffaloes. 

In I860 Idaho was taken from Wash- 
ington and foi'med into a separate Terri- 
tory, whicli then embraced the whole of 
what is now Montana and a considerable 
part of Wyoming. In 1868 these Terri- 
tories were divided off with the same 
boundaries they have to-day, Wyoming 
being taken from Dakota and Montana, 
as well as Idaho. On the same day that 
Idaho became one of the United States 
Wyoming was also admitted, making the 
number of stars in our flag of to-day 
forty-foui'. 

The growth of both these Territories 
has been very rajjid, as twenty years ago 
neither of them contained ten thousand 
whites, and one of them, Wyoming, will 
always have a certain historical interest 
from the fact that she is the first State in 
the Union to admit women to all the 
privileges of citizenship. 

A few years ago the great bulk of 
States, in fact, nearly all of them, were 



UNITED STATES. 385 

east of the Mississippi Riv^er ; now there 
are nineteen west and only twenty-five 
east of that mighty stream; and in tlie 
near future, when New Mexico, Arizona, 
Utah, the Indian Territory, Oklahoma, 
and Alaska are formed into States, those 
west of this great dividing line will be 
greater in numbers as well as extent. 

No President before Mr. Harrison ever 
had the pleasure of proclaiming the admis- 
sion of so many States, not even one of 
those whose term of office extended ov^er 
a period of eight years ; and only once in 
the history of our country^ in the year 
] 845, have three States entered the Union 
in so short a space of time. These were 
Florida, Iowa, and Texas. The enormous 
growth of our magnificent country is 
shown very plainly by this expansion of 
her territorial lands into populous States. 

Before his administration is finished 
America "will celebrate her four hun- 
dredth anniversary, and a great World's 
Fair, which is intended to exceed every- 
thing of the kind ever undertaken, will be 
held at Chicago, where the inventions and 

25 



386 HISTORY OF THE 

impi'ovements of this and every nation on 
the globe will be shown to the millions of 
people who will ilock to see them. 

"Vive ]a America!" has been our sono; 
for over a century past. May it be our 
watchword for centuries to come ! 



UNITED STATES. 387 

A CHRO]\^OLOGICAL TABLE 

OP THE 

CIVIL WAR. 



Lincoln elected President, November, 1860 

South Carolina seceded, December 2, 1860. 

Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and 
Louisiana seceded, January, 1861. 

Texas seceded, February, 1861. 

Lincoln inaugurated President, March 4, 1861. 

Bombardment of Fort Sumter, April 12, 13, 
1861. 

Virginia seceded, April 17, 1861. 

First blood shed, in Baltimore, April 19, 1861. 

Arkansas and North Carolina seceded. May, 1861. 

Battle of Big Bethel, June 10, 1861. 

First Battle of Bull Eun, July 21, 1861. 

The Rebel envoys taken from the Trent by Cap- 
tain Wilkes, November 8, 1861. 

Surrender of Fort Donelson, February 15, 1862. 

Fight of the Monitor and Merrimac, March 9, 
1862. 

Battle of Pittsburg Landing, April 6, 7, 1862. 

Surrender of Island No. 10, April 8, 1862. 

Capture of New Orleans, April 24, 1862. 

Battle of Williamsburg ; Yorktown evacuated by 
the Confederates, May 4, 1862. 



388 HISTORY OF THE 

Battle of Hanover Court-house, May 27, 1862. 

Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862. 

The First of the Seven Days' Battle before Kich- 

mond, June 26, 1862. 
Second battle of Bull Run, August 29, 1862. 
Battle of Antietara ; Invasion of Maryland, Sep- 
tember, 18G2. 
Battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. 
Battle of Stone River, December 31, 1862, and 

January 2, 1863. 
Emancipation of the Slaves, January 1, 1863. 
Battle of Chancellorsville, May 2, 1863. 
Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863. 
Surrender of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863. 
Surrender of Port Hudson, July 8, 1863. 
Battle of Chickamauga, September 19, 1863. 
Battle of Chattanooga, November 24, 25, 1863. 
Battle of the Wilderness ; Grant's advance on 

Lee, May 5, 6, 1864. 
Sherman's Atlanta Campaign begun. May 6, 

1864. 
Grant crossed the James ; Siege of Petersburg 

begun, June 14, 1864. 
Privateer Alabama sunk by the Kearsarge, June 

19, 1864. 
Buttle of Mobile Bay, August 5, 1864. 
Atlanta taken, September 1, 1864. 
Sheridan's Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, 

August and September, 1864. 
Battle of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864. 
President Lincoln reelected, November 8, 1864. 



UNITED STATES. 389 

Sherman began his famous march to the sea, 

November 13, 1864. 
Battle of Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864. 
Battle of Nashville, December 15, 16, 1864. 
Sherman entered Savannah, December 21, 1864. 
Fort Fisher captured by General Terry, January 

15, 1865. 
Columbia, S. C, taken by Sherman, February 17, 

1865. 
Charleston evacuated, February 18, 1865. 
Battle of Five Forks, April 1, 1865. 
Richmond evacuated, April 2, 1865. 
Surrender of Lee's army, April 9, 1865. 
President Lincoln assassinated, April 14, 1865. 
Surrender of Johnston's army, April 26, 1865. 
Capture of Jefferson Davis, May 8, 1865. 



WORTHINGTOX COMPAIVY'S 
CATALOGUE 

ot St.indaril Books that every one ought to have; ihey are all handsome and attractive, and will be 
a valuable addition to any one's library. 



NEW EDITION, NEW PLATES. 

ALICE ADVENTURES IN WONDER- 
LAND. — i2mo. $1.25. 

Above are the most charming fairy tales of the 19th Century. Exquisitely amusing, deliciously 
illustrated. Nursery classics translated into most of the languages of Europe. 

AYTOUN. — Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers. By 
Wm. E. Aytoun, late Prof, of Literature and 
Belles-Lettres in Univ. of Edinburgh, and Editor 
of Blackwood's Magazine. i6mo, extra cloth, 
$1.00. 

BAILEY, PHILIP ] hMRS^.—Festus : A Poem. 
(New Aldine Edition.) i6mo, vellum cloth, $i.oo ; 
do., do., three-quarter calf, extra, $2.50 ; do., do., 
flexible, or tree-calf, $3.50. 

This great dramatic poem exhibits a soul gifted, tried, buffeted, beguiled, stricken, purified, 
redeemed, pardoned, and triumphant. It is interspersed with delightful songs. Has been pmised 
by Bulwer, Thackeray and Tennyson as a remarkable poem of great beauty. The present editi^^n 
is very handsome, the type is large and elegant, the paper is excellent, and the steel engravings are 
of exceeding grace. 

BON GAULTIER'S BOOK OF BALLADS.— 

By W. E. Aytoun and Theodore Martin. A new 
edition, including " Firmilian." Cloth, $1.00. 

In all his poems Prof. Aytoun has put forth a sustained power and beauty of expression which 
have placed him in the foremost rank of the poets of his time. " His Lays" have all the historic 
truth and force of Macaulay, expressing noble thought by a delineation of generous and lofty 
natures stated with fluency, vigour and movement. His ballad themes arc selected from striking 
incidents and from stirring scenes of Scottish history, and he has thrown over them the light of 
an imagination at once picturesque and powerful. 



BURTON (Dr. J. Hill).— The Book Hunter, with 
Memoir and Index. New Edition, with Portrait 
and Engraving of Interior of Library. Crown 8vo, 
Roxburgh style, $3.00. 

Burton's "Book Hunter" is indispensable to every owner of a library; it will be found of 
incalculable aid in classifying, studying, collecting and the preservation of books. It abounds in 
reminiscences of noted Bibliophiles and Book Hunters. We offer m this edition a volume that for 
general excellence of typography and binding will delight the heart of every book hunter. 

CAMPBELL (Sir George, M. P.).— White and Black. 
The Outcome of a Visit to the United States. By 
Sir George Campbell, M.P. Being a Bird's-eye 
View of the Management of the Colored Races, 
with the Contents of my Journal. Crown 8vo, 
cloth extra, $1.75. 

We have in this work the views of a prominent Englishman on the relative positions occupied 
by the Black and White Races in the United States. Several suggestions and opinions are given 
toward solving the Race Problem that will be read with lively interest by all who desire the caste 
question amicably settled. 

CARROLL (Lewis). — Through the Looking Glass, 
and What Alice Found There. With fifty illustra- 
tions by John Tenniel. i vol. i2mo. $1.25. 

CHILD'S OWN BOpK OF FAIRY TALES. 

— Containing Aladdin or the Wonderful Lamp, 
Beauty and the Beast, Children in the Wood, 
Goody Two-Shoes, Gulliver, Jack the Giant Killer, 
Jack and the Beanstalk, Puss in Boots, Robin Hood, 
Tom Thumb, White Cat, Yellow Dwarf, and others. 
With upwards of one hundred illustrations, after 
designs by eminent American artists. Square i6mo, 
cloth. $1.50. 

The best collection of the famous old-fashioned Fairy Tales contained in any one volume, 
many of which can only be found in this edition. 

CHILD'S TREASURY OF FAIRY TALES. 

For Little Folks. Containing The Six Swans, 
Little Hunch - Back, Hop - O - My Thumb, 
Blanch and Rosalind, Dummling and the Toad, 



Fortunio, The Fox's Brush, The Three 
Wishes, Cinderella, Whittington and his Cat, 
and many others. Printed with extra large type. 
Illustrated with 60 engravings by the American 
artists, Twaites and others. Cloth, black and gold, 
square i6mo, $1.50. 

This edition of the more popular and best known Fairy Tales is especially commended for the 
profusion and beauty of its illustrations. 

CHILDREN'S BIBLE PICTURE AND 
STORY BOOK,— With sixty full-page illustra- 
tions. Square i6mo, beautifully printed and bound 
in cloth extra, $1.50. 

A real beautiful book — one that ought to be placed into the hands of all, even the youngest 
children. It is a complete history of the principal events or stories in the Old and New Testa- 
ments, written in remarkably clear, simple, unaffected language, extremely well illustrated. It 
brings out into bold relief the singular charm of the book of books, and leads on to the study of the 
scriptures. 

CRAIG'S DICTIONARY.— A Pronouncing Dic- 
tionary of the English Language. Based upon the 
Works of Webster, Worcester, etc., etc. Contain- 
ing 30,000 Words and 750 Engravings. Edited by 
C. H. Craig, LL. D. i2mo, cloth, $1.00. 

" Every one ought to own a dictionary," and the low price at which we offer this edition 

places it within the reach of all. It is, undoubtedly, the best cheap dictionary made ; it contains all 
the words in general every-day use, with their most standard definitions and pronunciations. 

CRAIG (A.R., M.A.). YOUR LUCK'S IN YOUR 
HAND ; or, The Science of Modern Palmistry, 
with some Account of the Gypsies. Numerous 
illustrations. i2mo, cloth, gilt extra, $1.25. 

A recent revival of interest in this fascinating study has certainly proven the fact that Prof. 
Craig's Palmistry is the most complete and satisfactory work on the subject extant — it shows the 
careful work of a master hand. Should there be a single "doubting Thomas" who does not 
believe " your luck's in your hand," let him read the convincing arguments in this work and be 
converted. 

CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLE ILLUSTRA- 
TIONS, being a storehouse of Similes, Allegories, 
and Anecdotes. Edited by Rev. R. Newton, D.D. 
i2mo, cloth, $1.25. 

A treasury of spiritu:>l riches borrowed from nature, art, history, biography, anecdote, and 
simile, by Christian authors of all countries and ages. A book full of wisdom and of the happiest 
illustrations of points of doctrine and morals. 



CYCLOPEDIA OF THE ARTS AND 
SCIENCES : Botany, Zoology, Mineralogy, 
Geology, Astronomy, Geometry, Mathematics, 
Mechanics, Electricity, Chemistry, etc., etc. Illus- 
trated with over 3,000 wood engravings, i vol., 4to, 
cloth extra, $6.00 ; sheep, $7.50; or, in half morocco 
extra, $10.00. 

This popular Encyclopfedia is more than a first-class book of reference, it is a library of 
popular scientific treatises each one complete in itself, which places into the hands of the reader 
the means to procure for himself a thorough technical self-education. The several topics are 
handled with a viev/ of a thorough instruction of these particular branches of knowledge, and 
all statements are precise and scientifically accurate. 

DANA (R. H., Jr.). Two Years Before the Mast, i 
vol., i2mo, $1.50. 

One of the most fascinating and instructive narratives of the sea ever written for young folks. 
The reader's sympathies are enlisted with the hero from first to last, but the hardships and hair- 
breadth escapes he meets with would prevent most boys from emulating his example. 

DUFFERIN.— Letters from High Latitudes. A 
Yacht Voyage to Iceland, Jan Mayen, and Spitz- 
bergen. By his Excellency the Earl of Dufferin, 
Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada. 
Authorized edition. With portrait and several illus- 
trations. 8vo, cloth extra, $1.50. 

The titled author has given us in this work a narrative of a voyage replete with incident in the 
yacht " Foam." His impressions of the countries and people visited in the far North are written 
in a fresh and original style, in the purest English, and the account of the whole voyage is as 
pleasing and interesting as a work of fiction. 

ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING'S 
POEMS. — The most satisfactory American edi- 
tion issued, printed from excellent type on paper of 
superior quality, with introductory essay by Henry 
T. Tuckerman. 3 vols., 8vo, gilt tops, $5-25; half 
calf extra, $10.50. 

The highest place among modem poetesses must be claimed for Mrs. Browning. In purity, 
loftiness of sentiment, feeling and in intellectual power she is excelled only by Tennyson, whose 
works it IS evident she had carefully studied. Nearly all her poems bear the impress of deep 
and sometimes melancholy thought, but show a high and fervid imagination. Her Sonnets from 
the Poytugitese, are as passionate as Shakespeare's, all eminently beautiful. Of her Aurora Leigh, 
Ruskin said " that is the greatest poem which this century has produced in any language." 



FESTUS.— A Poem by Philip James Bailey. With 
choice steel plates, by Hammett Billings. Beau- 
tifully printed. 4to, cloth, gilt, S3.00; do., do., full 
gilt and gilt edges, $5.oa 

GAUTIER (Theophile). One of Cleopatra's Nights 
and Other Fantastic Stories. Translated from the 
French by Lafcadio Hearn. 8vo, cloth extra, gilt 
top, $1.75. 

A brilliant and intensely fescinating collection of stories from the pen of the inimitable Gautier, 
they are excellent specimens of his work in his brightest and happiest vein ; the scenes are auda- 
ciously limned, and distinguished for their conscientious fidelity to nature. 

GRAY. — The works of Thomas Gray, in Prose and 
Verse. Edited by Edmund Goose, Lecturer of 
English Literature at the University of Cambridge. 
With portraits, fac-similes, etc. 4 vols., crown 8vo, 
cloth, gilt top, $6.00 ; half calf, $12.00. 

" Every lover of English literature will welcome the works of Gray, the author of the immortal 
' Elegy written in a Country Churchyard,' from the hands of an editor so accomplished as Mr. 
Gosse. His competency for the task has been known for some time to students of poetry, and 
the present edition is now considered to be the most careful and complete ever published." — 
London AtkencEum. 

GUNNING (William D.).— Life History of Our 
Planet. Illustrated with 80 illustrations by Mary 
Gunning. Crown 8vo, cloth, gilt extra, $1.50. 

From this work, more so than any other, we probably gain a clearer idea of the almost 
incredible changes Nature has wrought on our planet and still more wonderful changes we may 
expect in the future. We are given several interesting pac;es — with illustrations — on the mammoth 
creatures of pre-historic times, whose mummified bones alone remain to tell their Story. It shotold 
be read by every one who desires to know more about the world we live in. 

HARDY (Lady Duffus). Through Cities and Prairie 
Lands. A most Interestinsf book of Travels in 
America, i vol., crown 8vo, cloth, gilt top, $1.75. 

Recollections of a most pleasant trip made by this distinguished lady through America. She 
has many warm words for the kind manner in which she was treated, and altogether the 
work is a most pleasing and pronounced contrast to the average hastily written English impressions 
of America. 



HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF FREE- 
MASONRY, as Connected with Ancient Norse 
Guilds, and tiie Oriental and Medi£eval Building- 
Fraternities, to which is added the Legend of Prince 
Edward, etc., by George F. Fort. A New Edition. 
I vol., 8vo, $1.75. 

I'hls work is the result of years of labor on the part of the author, whose original and persistent 
design lias been to arrive at the truth, and, at the same time, supply a want long felt by members 
of tka Masonic Fraternity, as well as the uninitiated. That he has fully accomplished his purpose is 
demonstrated by the fact that it is now looked upon as the most standard and authentic history of 
Freemasonry in existence. 

HOW ? or, Spare Hours Made Profitable for Boys 
and Girls. By Kennedy Holbrook. Profusely 
illustrated by the author. 8vo, cloth, gilt, $2.00. 
do., do., full gilt extra, $2.50. 

The most interesting and instructive work of the kind ever issued. By the help of their plainly 
worded and fully illustrated instructions, any bright boy or girl may devise unlimited entertain- 
ment and fashion many acceptable and useful presents for playmates and friends. The directions 
are for working with wood, paper, chemicals and paints, with knife, pencil, brush and scissors, and 
for the performance of sleight-of-hand tricks. 

JERROLD (Blanchard). Days with Great Authors. 
Dickens, Scott, Thackeray, Douglas Jerrold. Se- 
lections from their Works, and Biographical Sketches 
and Personal Reminiscences. Numerous illustra- 
tions. 8vo, cloth, gilt extra, $2.00. 

To the hosts of admirers of these great authors this work will prove of absorbing interest, as it 
contains many reminiscences never before in print. Considerable space has also been devoted to 
their public speeches, and short, characteristic selections are given from their best works. 

LA FONTAINE'S FABLES.— Translated from 
the French by Elizur Wright, Jr. Illustrations by 
Grandville. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, Si. 50. 

La Fontaine s Fables — there is magic as well as music in the name ; they have been deservedly 
popular for years, and they will be read with ever increasing pleasure by young and old, "as lorg 
as the world rolls round.' This is the only moderate priced translation of these charming fables 

published. 

LE BRUN (Madame Vigee).— Souvenirs of. With 
a steel portrait, from an original painting by the 
author. 2 vols, in i, crown 8vo, red cloth, gilt 
top, $1.75. 

" An amusing book, which contains a great deal that is new and strange, and many anecdote's 
which a]-3 always entertaining." It is written tn .-i reminiscent and chatty style, and relntes many 
"choice tid-bits" of triedisti.iguished historical personages with whom the authoress was acquainted. 



LOUDpN'S COTTAGE, FARM AND VILLA 

Architecture and Furniture. — Containing numerous 
Designs for Dwellings, from the Villa to the Cottage 
and the Farm, each design accompanied by analyti- 
cal and critical remarks. Illustrated by upwards of 
2,000 engravings. In one very thick vol., 8vo, $7.50. 

One of the most useful books on architecture ever issued. Gives valuable hints to anyone con- 
templatnig building either villas, cottages, or outhouses, and may save thoughtful and practical men 
hundreds of dollars. 

MACAULAY'S LAYS of Ancient Rome.— With 
all the antique illustrations and steel portrait. Beau- 
tifully printed. 4to, cloth, extra gilt, $3.50 ; do., do., 
full gilt and gilt edges, $5.00 ; do., do., i2mo, cloth 
extra, $1.00. 

When the famous historian issued these lays, which have since become classics, it was a 
literary surprise, for no one thonght that he was also a poet of such high degree. His poetry is the 
rythmical outflow of a vigorous and affluent writer, given to splendor of diction and imagery in 
his flowing prose. Stedmansaid of this volume, " the lays have to me a charm, and to almost every 
healthy young mind are an immediate delight." 

NAPOLEON. — Las Cases' Napoleon. Memoirs of 
the Life, Exile, and Conversations of the Emperor 
Napoleon. By the Count de Las Cases, with 8 
steel portraits, maps, and illustrations. 4 vols., 12 mo, 
400 pages each, cloth, $5.00 ; half calf extra, $10.00. 

With his son the Count devoted himself at St. Helena to the care of the Emperor and passed 
his evenings in recording his remarks. Commenting in a letter to Lucian Bonaparte on the 
treatment to which Napoleon was subjected, he was arrested by the English authorities and sent 
away and imprisoned. 

NAPOLEON.— O'Meara's Napoleon in Exile; or A 
Voice from St. Helena. Opinions and Reflections 
of Napoleon on the Most Important Events in his 
Life and Government in his own words. By Barry 
E. O'Meara, his late Surgeon. Portrait of Napo- 
leon, after Delaroche, and a view of St. Helena, 
both on steel. 2 vols., i2mo, cloth, $2.50; half calf 
extra, $5.00. 

Mr. O'Meara's works contains a body of the most interesting and valuable information — 
information the accuracy of which stands ununpeached by any attacks made against its author. 
The details in I.as Case-.' work and those of Mr. O'.Meara mutually support each other. 



NAPIER'S PENINSULA WAR.— The History 
of the War in the Peninsula. By Major-Gen. Sir 
W. F. P. Napier. With 55 maps and plans of bat- 
tles, 5 portraits on steel, and a complete index. An 
elegant Library Edition. 5 vols., 8vo, $7.50 ; half 
calf, $18.00. 

Acknowledged to be the most valuable record of that war which England waged against the 
power of Napoleon. The most ample testimony has been borne to the accuracy of the historian's 
statements, and to the diligence and acuteness with which he has collected his materials. 

NELL GWYN, The Story of, and the Sayings of 
Charles the Second, related and collated by Peter 
Cunningham, F.S.A. With fine portrait and 11 
extra engravings. 8vo, cloth extra, $3.50. 

An exceedingly interesting memoir relating to the times of Charles II. Pepys in writing about 
Nell GwyT\ called her " Pretty witty Nell," was always delighted to see her, and constantly praises 
her excellent acting. Cunningham states that had the King lived he would have created her 
Countess of Greenwich, and his dying wish tohis brother, afterwards James II., was : "Do not let 
poor Nelly starve." 

PICTURESQUE IRELAND, Descriptive and 
Historical. — Comprising 5o full-page engravings on 
steel of its picturesque scenery, remarkable antiqui- 
ties and present aspects, from original drawings by 
W. H. Bartlett, and a complete account of its cities, 
towns, mountains, waters, ancient monuments, and 
modern structures by Markinfield Addey. 2 vols., 
4to, cloth extra, gilt edges, $10.00 ; or in half 
morocco extra, gilt edges, $20.00. 

These two handsome volumes will make the reader better acquainted with the picturesque 
features of the " Kmerald Isle " than any work that has ever preceded it. Only by a combination 
of both pen and pencil was it possible to give an idea of the beauty of Ireland, its marvelous lakes, 
mount.Tins and valleys, romantic streams, mysterious roimd towers, giant's causeway, waterfalls, 
stately castles, magnificent religious and public edifices, etc., etc. 

PURITANS. History of the Puritans and Pilgrim 
Fathers. By Professor Stowell and Daniel Wilson, 
F.S.A. In I vol., 8vo, cloth, $1.75. 

Slowell and Wilson's history is acknowledged everywhere to be the best and most exhaustive 
history of the Pilgrim fathers. A full and complete account of the rise of the Puritans under the 
Tudors to their seiilement in New England, which is herein given, makes this a most valuable work 
of reference and study. 

8 



STAUFFER (Frank H.). The Queer, The Quaint, 
The Quizzical. A Cabinet for the Curious. With 
full index. 8vo, cloth extra, $1.75. 

" Oddities and wonders, 

Antiquities and blunders. 
And omens dire ; 

Strange customs, cranks and freaks, 

With philosophy in streaks " 
are all to be found between the covers of this book. It certainly is the completest collection of odd 
and curious events ever made. 

TAINE, H. A.~History of English Literature. 
Translated by H. Van Laun, with Introductory 
Essay and Notes by R. H. Stoddard. 4 handsome 
volumes. Cloth, white labels, $7.5o. 

It is the book on the subject, the more wonderful that, written by a French critic, it should be 
accepted by English-speaking people — everywhere — as the authority on the literature of their own 
language, universally prized for its clearness, terseness and comprehensiveness, and yet as 
interesting as a work of fiction. 

THE APOCRYPHAL NEW TESTAMENT, 

Being all the Gospels, Epistles, and Other Pieces now 
extant attribtUed in the First Centuries to Jesus 
Christ, His Apostles and their Companions, and 
not included in the New Testament by its compil- 
ers. Translated from the original tongues, and now 
first collected into one volume. With numerous 
quaint illustrations, i vol., 8vo, cloth, red edges, 
$1.25. 

As a literary curiosity this work has excited the greatest attention all over the Christian world. 
There is nothing in it contradictory of those truths which have been accepted as revealed, but every 
chapter and verse goes to confirm the undoubted writings of the apostles and evangelists. 

WALT WHITMAN.— Leaves of Grass. Original 
edition. Year 85 of the State. Foolscap 8vo, 
cloth extra, $3.75. 

We offer here the Fine Original Edition of Whitman's Poems, Recognition of the wonderful 
power and charm in his rugged verse has been freely given by all who appreciate the grand and 
beautiful in poetry. The " Good. Gray Poet " is gaining admirers daily; his Leaves of Grast \s 
destined to live forever as a representative classic of a bold aad rythmic style of versification 
peculiarly his own. 



WATERS (Robert). William Shakespeare Por- 
trayed by Himself. A Revelation of the Poet in 
the Career and Character of one of his own 
Dramatic Heroes. By Robert Waters, i vol., 
$1.25. 

In this able and exceedingly interesting book on Shakespeare, the author shows 1 ow the great 
poet has revealed himself, his life, and his character, besides refuting conclusively the ciphers of 
Donnelly and other Baconian theories. Altogether the best life of Shakespeare, remarkably well 
written in vigorous English. "An original, wholesome, scholarly, and plainly sincere book on 
Shakespeare. It is after all something new about Shakespeare, which Lowell feared could not be 
said." — E. C. Stedman. 

WILSON'S NOCTES AMBROSIAN^.— The 

Noctes Ambrosianae, by Prof. Wilson, J. G. Lock- 
hart, James Hogg, and Dr. Maginn. A revised 
edition, with Steel Portraits, and Memoirs of the 
authors, and copiously annotated by R. Shelton 
Mackenzie, D.C.L. 6 vols., crown 8vo, including 
" Christopher North," A Memoir of Prof. Wilson, 
from family papers and other sources. By his 
daughter, Mrs. Gordon. Cloth $9.00; half calf $18 00. 

This series of imaginary conversations were supposed to have taken placebetween Christopher 
North (Wilson), the Ettrick Sheperd (Hogg) and others in the parlour ofa tavern kept by one Am- 
brose in Edinburgh, hence the title Noctes Ambrosianas. A too literal interpretation is not to be 
given to the scene of these festivities, however, but the true Ambrose's must be looked for only 
in the realms of the imagination. It is one of the most curious and original works in the 
English language, a most singular and delightful outpouring of criticism, politics and descriptions 
of feeling, character and scenery of verse and prose, of eloquence and especially of wild fun. It 
breathes the very essence of the Bacchanalian revel of clever men. Prof. Wilson is a writer of the 
most ardent and enthusiastic genius whose eloquence is as the rush of mighty waters. 

YOUNG FOLKS' HISTORY OF THE RE- 
BELLION. By William M.Thayer. Illustrated. 
4 vols., i2mo, cloth, $5.00. 

Fort Sumter to Roanoke Island. I Murfreesboro' to Fort Pillow. 

Roanoke Island to Murfreesboro'. | Fort Pillow to the End. 

A faithful history of the late war, which by its attractive presentation is especially adapted to 
youthful readers. Its narrative is full of dash and adventure, the military events are recited vividly 
and thrillingly, it is interspersed with individual heroism, suffering and daring, and on the whole 
renders a better account of the war and its causes than any other book that we are acquainted with. 
The author's style is perfect at all times, either delicate, pathetic, or picturesque, btit always in 
simple language that any young reader can fully understand. 



TO 



• ^yM;ti!H:irii.i:iHI!iiJil!f:\ilil!MHI:|;^fc - 



A series of contemporaneous works of fiction by great writers of Amer- 
^ ica, France, Germany and Great Britain, with exquisite photogra- 
vures, printed on beautiful paper, and bound in either cloth at $t.2^^ or 
in illuminated paper covers at 75 cents each. 



Gertrude's Marriage- By W. Heim- 

BURG. 

Two Daughter's of One Race. By 

W. Hrimburg. 

Lora, the Major's Daughter. By 

W. HEiMnuRr., 

5. Wives of Men of Genius. By Al- 

PHONSE DaUDET. 

Henriette; or, A Corsican Mother. 
By Fran(;ois Coppee. 

Magdalen's Fortunes. By W. Heim- 

BURG. 



8. The Pastor's Daughter. By W. 
Heimbukg. 



10. 

II. 
12. 

13- 

14. 
15- 



The Feet of Love. By Anne Rebve 

Aldrich. 

Bella's Blue Book. The Story of 

an Ugly Woman. By Maris Calm. 

Lucie's Mistake. By W. Heimdurg. 

Flirt. A novel by Paul Hervieu. 

Illustrated with photogravures by Mad* 

ELEINB LbMAIKB. 

Children of the World. By Paul 

Heyse. 

A Sister's Love. By W. Heimburg. 

Adventures on the Mosquito Shore. 

By E. j. S(^uier. 



^i^ 



^mi\\m:hVAM%v.vi\-xmm 



Illustrated with Photogravures. In handsome illuminated paper cover. lamo 
size, cloth, extra, $1.00, or in illuminated paper cover at 50 cents each. 

3. A Russian Country House. By 
Carl Detlefk. Translated by 
Mrs, J. W. Davis. Fully illustra- 
ted. 



I. Catherine's Coquetries. By Ca- 
MiLLE Debans. Translated by 
Leon Mead. 

3. Asbein. From the Life of a Virt- 
uoso. By Ossip ScHUBiN. Trans- 
lated by l^Hse L. Lathrop. A 
Musical Novel. 

An extremely clever book, interesting to all 
who enjoy music and love to read about musicians 
and composers. It is said that it partly repre- 
sents the life of the great artist Rubinstein; shows 
his attachment to the beautiful Russian princess, 
and paints his love for her aiid music in glowing 
colors. 



Contains capital sketches of high itussian 
society. The story is well told, there is a good 
pjot in it; it is a novel interesting from the begin- 
ning. It describes admirably strange customs, 
and paints the passions of men boldly. 

4. One of Cleopatra's Nights, and 
other Fantastic Romances. By 
Theophile Gautier. Translated 
by Lafcadio Hearn. 




OUR BOY'S LIBRARY 




X. By Pike and Dyke. A tale of the 
rise of the Dutch Republic. By 
G. A. Henty. 



A Boy's History of the United 
States. 



WORTHINGTON & CO., 747 Broadway, New York. 



(> 



^ o^^ 



K^^ ''^^ 









